The Afghan government stressed that peace talks must be led by Afghans, warning that Afghanistan is not the country it was ten years ago.
Emal Faizi, the chief spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said that the Afghan government had not had role in the talks that had been held between the United States and the Taliban.
He said the Afghan government only supported an office for the Taliban in Qatar, but it would not support talks that are held between other countries and the Taliban. It comes as the United States and the Taliban have agreed about the Taliban office in Qatar.
There have also been reports of direct talks between Washington and the Taliban. “Some countries have held talks with the Taliban without involvement of the Afghan government. We have always emphasised that any negotiations and peace talks must be led by Afghans,” Faizi said.
Faizi said holding talks with the Taliban without involvement of the Afghan government would not have positive results and would not be acceptable.
It comes as sources close to President Karzai have told some media that the president was not satisfied with the way talks had been held between the US and the Taliban, as he felt the Afghan government had been marginalised.
Sources at the presidential palace have told the Al-Arabia news that as soon as the Taliban’s Qatar office was opened talks would begin under the leadership of Afghans. Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar also confirmed that the group had been in talks with Washington.
Whether the US will be involved Afghanistan in the process or it will do it independently is something that will be clear after talks officially start in Qatar.
On Saturday the Taliban in a statement expressed willingness to hold talks with the US, but called for release of Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.
But the State Department Spokeswoman has reportedly said that no decisions have been made whether to release the Guantanamo prisoners.
A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, however, said that talks continued over the release of prisoners.
“Release of Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay is one of our main demands and it is being discussed,” Mujahid has said.
