ISLAMABAD (SW): The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China has agreed to continue joint efforts for setting a date for direct peace talks between the representatives of the Afghan government and Taliban groups expected to take place by the end of February 2016.
Third Meeting of the QCG was held in Islamabad on 6 February 2016. Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry hosted the meeting. Other delegations were led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Richard G. Olson and China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Deng Xijun.
According to a communiqué by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Group explored ways for holding early direct peace talks between the authorized representatives of the Afghan Government and Taliban groups. In this regard, the Group also adopted a roadmap stipulating the stages and steps in the process, it added.
The Group stressed that the outcome of the reconciliation process should be a political settlement that results in the cessation of violence, and durable peace in Afghanistan, it noted, adding that the QCG also agreed to continue regular meetings to ensure a smooth way forward in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
The QCG also agreed to hold its next meeting in Kabul on 23 February 2016.
During the meeting on Saturday, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan’s National Security Advisor, said as many Taliban groups as possible must be persuaded to join any upcoming peace discussions with the Afghan government.
“In our view, a clear, well-defined and actionable roadmap for the peace process between the Afghan Government and Taliban groups is important” he said.
Analysts believe consensus among the QCG is crucial for the peace talks to succeed. Mohibullah Sharif, an analyst, told Salam Watandar that a comprehensive plan should be put in place for the proposed peace talks with the Taliban.
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