- Breakthrough in UAE multilateral talks essential
In the past, during the course of numerous false starts (as it turned out) for bringing peace and reconciliation to Afghanistan, the viewpoints of various stakeholders in the conflict remained stubbornly inflexible, even as the faces of related political and military cast of characters changed over long, futile years. Governments and militant groups directly involved in or those covertly influencing negotiations could not achieve meaningful ‘same page’ harmony. However, despite a series of affirmative meetings in recent months, and occasional glimmers of hope, just when things seemed to move in the right direction, either an untimely and unexpected, or a coldly premeditated incident, such as a harrowing act of terrorism, put paid to all the peace efforts. A generation of Afghan people thus remain condemned to terrible suffering and a sub-human existence, devoid of hope.
Pakistan, long blamed, even vilified in strong language, both by the US and Afghanistan, for being the realpolitik- playing hindrance to peace, despite its shrill denials, has delivered to a remarkable extent by swiftly facilitating US special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad-Taliban talks in Abu Dhabi starting Monday, following President Trump’s personal letter to PM Imran Khan. The previously intransigent Afghan government, though not participating directly, is behind the ongoing process this time. Apart from Pakistan, the vital presence in the moot of Saudi Arabia and UAE, both of whom hold considerable sway over the Taliban, make a positive outcome in the latest initiative more likely in future. Talk of a possible ceasefire and unity government is already being bruited about. But conversely, despite the rare general consensus among the principal players, two regional countries are conspicuous by their absence, both for obvious reasons, Iran and Qatar, and for the sake of the Afghan people, it is hoped they will not turn into ‘spoilers’ and are duly included after the initial negotiating table nitty-gritty. Official details of the ongoing talks are not presently available and it is far better not to speculate or indulge in wild guesswork to avoid needless controversy over a promising process. Trust, open-mindedness and elasticity of opinion are, however, imperative among war-weary combatants and stakeholders, now fortunately engaging in words rather than blows.
