Afghanistan’s government reaffirmed support Sunday for possible talks with its Taliban foes, but demanded full explanations on how the group was allowed to raise its flag in Qatar and display other symbols that have stalled the U.S.-led effort.
The ongoing dispute over the Taliban compound in Doha — which the Afghan government said appeared as something akin to an embassy in exile instead of a political outpost when it opened — underscores the extreme difficulties in just trying to launch dialogue after nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Shaheen Suhail reasserted the Islamic movement’s dismay over the controversy and made it clear that the Taliban had made no offers or concessions following U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s warning a day earlier that their newly opened office could be forced to close if the spat remained unresolved.
The Afghan peace process, which has made little headway since it began several years ago, is hobbled by distrust among the major players, with the Taliban steadfastly refusing to talk to the Afghan government. While talks with the Taliban remained stalled, there are signs of increasing efforts to get them back on track. U.S.-backed talks broke down nearly two years ago in a dispute over the release of five Taliban detainees held in U.S. custody at a military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
With Afghan presidential elections and the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops looming in 2014, the long-stalled Afghan peace process has taken on added urgency. The Taliban have refused to negotiate with Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government, saying the U.S. holds effective control in Afghanistan, but the Americans are hoping to pave the way for talks between the two sides to begin before pulling out most of its forces.
Militants, meanwhile, persisted with their campaign of violence.
A roadside bomb killed seven Afghan national policemen around midday in the central province of Oruzgan, district official Faiz Mohammad said.
Two foreign troops also were killed in roadside bomb attacks Sunday in eastern Afghanistan, the NATO-led coalition announced, without providing further details.
The Obama administration said last week that the talks would begin with bilateral meetings between the Americans and Taliban representatives ‘in a few days,’ then eventually extend to include the Afghan government.
However, the Taliban’s use of its old flag and a sign bearing the name of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which the movement used during its five-year rule that ended in 2001 with the U.S.-led invasion, at Tuesday’s office opening in the Qatari capital brought sharp complaints across all party lines in Afghanistan.
The main U.S. envoy trying to spearhead the talks, James Dobbins, met with Qatari officials in Doha and planned to travel to Kabul today in apparent bids at shuttle diplomacy.
Kerry used a stop in Qatar on Saturday to urge the Taliban to make good faith efforts to open talks and begin what he called the “difficult” road ahead. He also warned the Taliban may have to close their office if they don’t negotiate in good faith.
Under pressure from Qatar, the Taliban lowered the flag and removed the sign.
In comments made hours before Kerry arrived in Doha on Saturday, Suhail had urged all sides to try to move the peace process forward and said negotiations were the way to a peaceful end to the conflict in his homeland.
Security was boosted at the office on Sunday, but there were no apparent signs of meetings or other diplomatic activity, and no flag was visible from the street.
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