Chinanews, September 13th, a comprehensive report, the Afghan government and the Taliban opened the first peace talks on the 12th, aiming to end the 20-year war and conflict in the country, which has attracted widespread attention from the outside world and is considered a historic opportunity for peace. .
The two sides will start the first day of negotiations today, and achieving a ceasefire is a top priority.
Can both parties in the conflict achieve a permanent ceasefire to end the suffering of the people?
What can the United States, which wants to withdraw from the quagmire of war, do for peace talks?
In the context of complex and divergent situations, can the two sides reach a truly effective peace agreement?
Witness the history! Peace negotiations officially launched
Since the outbreak of the war in Afghanistan in 2001, the first peace negotiation between the Afghan government and the Taliban was held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on September 12, local time.
The two sides held this historic negotiation, hoping to end the 20-year war and conflict in the country.
The peace talks were held in a hotel conference room in Doha. The chairs were scattered in accordance with the requirements of social distancing, and the banner read "Afghanistan Peace Negotiations" in multiple languages.
The delegation of the Afghan government consists of former intelligence chief Mohamed Massum Starnikzai, Chairman of the High Commission for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Hanif Atmar and others.
The Taliban delegation is composed of 21 members including religious scholar Sheikh Abdul Hakim and Taliban leader in charge of political affairs Abdul Ghani Baradal.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Secretary of State Pompeo attended the launching ceremony of the negotiations.
After the launching ceremony, representatives of the two sides will officially start negotiations on the 13th.
Abdullah, chairman of the Afghanistan Peace Commission, said that the implementation of a ceasefire will be one of the key issues of the first day of negotiations.
Can a ceasefire and end the suffering of the people?
Analysts believe that the biggest challenge in the Afghanistan peace talks lies in whether the two sides can reach a ceasefire first.
According to the agreement reached between the U.S. government and the Taliban, the Taliban regard the realization of a permanent ceasefire as "an agenda" in the peace talks, and the Afghan government hopes that the ceasefire will be its top priority at the beginning of the peace talks.
US media reported that diplomats and officials said it would be difficult for the Taliban to agree to a permanent ceasefire immediately, because Taliban militants would be unwilling to give up their main influence until the political settlement is complete.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense stated that on the eve of the talks, the insurgents also launched attacks in 18 of the country’s 34 provinces.
But many officials suggested that the two sides could agree to an immediate "humanitarian ceasefire," which is what Abdullah mentioned in his speech, in order to create more space for settlements that include a permanent ceasefire.
Abdullah said at the opening ceremony on the 12th that even if the two sides cannot reach a consensus on all issues, they should try to find a compromise.
"I believe that if we help each other and work honestly for peace, the current suffering in this country will end." Abdullah said at the opening ceremony of the peace talks.
All parties concerned about peace talks: a historic opportunity to end the riots
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, said in his speech that a ceasefire and the opening of dialogue are the only way to end the conflict in Afghanistan. This negotiation is important for ending the war in Afghanistan. Peace is very important.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg posted on social media that the peace talks are "historical opportunities."
NATO issued a statement stating that the peace talks are "an important step in bringing lasting peace and stability to Afghanistan after decades of conflict."
The statement said: "We call on the Taliban to take decisive measures to end the riots."
The EU also welcomes the peace talks, calling it a groundbreaking moment.
It marks the beginning of a real peace process, which should give the Afghan people the peace they deserve and has long demanded.
United Nations Secretary-General Guterres stated in a video speech to the participants of the Afghanistan peace talks that the Afghanistan peace talks that began in Qatar on September 12 are an opportunity to find the best and most comprehensive solution to end the Afghanistan war. The United Nations supports Negotiation process.
What can the United States, which has withdrawn from the quagmire of war, do for peace talks?
US Secretary of State Pompeo attended the launching ceremony of the peace talks through video.
Pompeo emphasized that it is possible to strive for lasting peace.
"Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution, we firmly believe that protecting the rights and interests of all Afghan people is the best way to break the cycle of violence."
"Each of you has a great responsibility," Pompeo said.
"You have a chance to overcome differences."
U.S. President Trump has stated that he will provide assistance to facilitate the two parties to reach an agreement.
After the U.S. and the Taliban signed a ceasefire agreement at the end of February this year, the number of U.S. troops stationed in the U.S. military continued to decrease, and by November it is estimated that it will be less than 5,000.
The U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Khalilzad said that the U.S. will reduce its military presence in Afghanistan to 4,500 within 1-2 months.
However, U.S. media reported that many Afghan officials criticized that the U.S. deal with the Taliban was "hurried" and provided too much for the Taliban without any guarantee.
The U.S. withdrawal began with the Taliban’s promise that they will negotiate with the Afghan government to prevent terrorist organizations from using Afghan territory as a safe haven and assembly ground for international attacks.
But in the months that followed, some international observers questioned the Taliban’s pledge to abandon its allies in Al Qaeda and other such groups.
It is reported that the multinational force headed by the US military overthrew the Afghan regime in 2001. Since then, Afghanistan has been deeply mired in war, which has caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties.
Can a peace agreement be reached in a short time when the situation is complicated and the differences are large
?
The peace talks were originally scheduled to be held in March 2020, but because the two sides could not reach a consensus on the mutual release of detainees, they have been shelved until now.
According to the agreement reached between the US government and the Taliban at the end of February, the Afghan government should release 5,000 Taliban detainees, and the Taliban promised to release 1,000 detained government personnel. The process of exchanging detainees between the two sides has been interrupted many times.
Although we are now back to the negotiating table, many foreign media pointed out that the positions of the Afghan government and the Taliban are quite different and it may be difficult to reach a peace agreement in a short time.
It is expected that the Afghan government and the Taliban will try to promote a peace agreement through this meeting in Qatar and formally end the armed conflict.
At the same time, the negotiating parties will also try to establish a new political system in Afghanistan.
The analysis also pointed out that there are great differences between the Afghan government and the Taliban, such as the stalemate over the release of each other's detained personnel, so the negotiations are expected to take a long time.
The New York Times reported that due to the threat of continued attacks by the insurgents, serious political differences after the disputed elections, decades of losses and dissatisfaction, and foreign forces pulling the various factions in Afghanistan in opposite directions, the negotiations are in It will become complicated at every turning point.