Afghanistan, Taliban delegations accept Qatar’s mediation

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad (L) and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (R) sign a peace agreement between US, Taliban, in Doha, Qatar on 29 February 2020. [Fatih Aktaş – Anadolu Agency]

The Afghan government and the Taliban have agreed that Qatar would play a role in facilitating peace talks and providing advice to negotiators on both sides, Afghanistan’s Khaama Press Agency reported yesterday.

This comes after the two sides were unable to resolve their differences. Qatar will now provide advice to the participants from both sides individually, when differences escalate.

The Afghan government and the Taliban have yet to agree on a basis for peace talks, which is one of the most serious differences between the two sides.

The Taliban stresses that the basis for the intra-Afghan peace talks should be a US-Qatar agreement, but it is reported that the Afghan government has refused that.

Peace talks between the two sides began in September, but no strategic policy or procedures have been agreed upon.

READ: Islamic scholar Qaradawi receives Taliban delegation in Qatar

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