KABUL (SW) – In an exclusive interview with Salam Watandar, the NATO'S top civilian envoy for Afghanistan said the biggest obstacle to peace was the high level of violence perpetrated by the Taliban, which is unacceptable and unjustified.
Stefano Pontecorvo, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, Pontecorvo said, although the Taliban are committed to bringing peace, their insistence on violence and the continued killing of Afghan soldiers and civilians jeopardize the opportunity for peace.
Ambassador Pontecorvo said the Taliban must demonstrate that they are sincere about their commitments in this regard, and must reduce violence, cut ties with al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and engage in Intra-Afghan talks. According to him, NATO does not want to be present in Afghanistan forever, but will not leave Afghanistan until its mission is completed, which is to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.
"I urge both sides to resolve the issue of the release of prisoners immediately and to show flexibility in this regard, as resolving this issue will bring us closer to Intra-Afghan dialogue," he added. He called on all parties to end the war and the only way to end the war is through dialogue.
The NATO envoy termed the links among Taliban, al-Qaeda and Daesh as well as other terrorist groups as a major concern. "This is why we are in Afghanistan to make sure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists."
The SCR further said the Alliance is closely monitoring these issues. According to him, severing ties with terrorists is one of the main provisions of the Doha agreement, which the Taliban has accepted and must adhere to.
ENDS
