Afghan President Suggests Taliban Could Participate in Peace Talks, Despite Rejection

KABUL – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani rejected the Taliban's refusal of his offer of peace talks, suggesting that the militant group can still be persuaded to come to the negotiating table.

In an exclusive RFE / RL Radio Free Afghanistan interview in Kabul on July 16, Ghani said the Taliban opposition to the peace talks was not "a total rejection."

"It's like when you ask someone to get married." The bride's family says no more times [before relenting]said Ghani, referring to a culture in which refusal is considered a sign of humility. "In reality, it is likely that we will get a positive response," Earlier this month, the Taliban said that they would not negotiate with the Kabul government after a first cease-fire between the two parties coinciding with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Ghani declared the end of the truce, but he also called on the Taliban to resume peace talks, as the Islamic State (IS) extremist group did not participate in the cessation of hostilities. The government truce lasted from June 12 to 30. Lebanon adhered to its own cease-fire on June 15 and 17, which sparked jubilant scenes of unarmed Taliban fighters assembling in government-held cities posing for photos with residents and government officials .

Ghani said in his interview that the Taliban have lost all credibility that they could have had among the Afghans.

"Afghan clerics do not want an intensification of conflict, they want peace – they want real peace, so if a small group of Taliban thinks they still have an ounce of Religious credibility, [they’re wrong] .It ended. "

On July 11, a religious scholarship summit organized by the Saudi-based Islamic Cooperation Organization called for a new ceasefire. in Afghanistan, a request rejected by the Taliban.

"The ceasefire has demonstrated that they want to be on the same side as their compatriots," added Ghani.

million. Ghani reiterated his calls for Pakistan and other neighboring countries to work together to eliminate terrorism and create regional stability. Afghanistan and the United States accuse neighboring Pakistan of sheltering the Afghan Taliban, a claim rejected by Islamabad. Iran and Russia have confirmed having contacts with the Taliban, but insist that they aim to ensure the security of their citizens in Afghanistan and to encourage the Taliban to participate in peace talks.

"Our position is that the Taliban are independent, the Pakistani government should make decisions independently, but Pakistan needs to help," said Ghani.

For years, Kabul and Washington lobbied Islamabad to bring activists to the negotiating table.
The Taliban's rejection of Ghani's offer undermines hopes for a lasting peace in this war-torn country where the United Nations has declared civilian casualties at a record level in the world. first half of 2018.

The insurgent group demanded the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country as a precondition to the talks and maintained that it wants to speak directly with the United States, which overthrew the Taliban regime in 2001 Militants view the Kabul government as a "Western puppet".

The UN blamed the Taliban for 40% of civilian deaths in the country, while 52% of attacks were attributed to militants of the Islamic State.

Afghanistan has been hit by a series of deadly suicide bombings since the end of the ceasefire. the fire, including a Taliban attack on July 16 against a police checkpoint in the eastern province of Nangarhar that killed seven police officers.