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EU Envoy Urges Countries to Bring Taliban to Talks Table

Afghan Voice Agency(AVA) , 15 Mar 2018 - 10:52

The EU's special envoy to Afghanistan Roland Kobia on Tuesday urged all countries and organizations in contact with the Taliban to get them to the negotiating tables for a peace agreement, Reuters reported.


AVA- Speaking following meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Kobia told journalists that windows of opportunity such as these come and go very quickly.
He said the Taliban should seize President Ashraf Ghani's offer to recognise the movement as a legitimate political group, Reuters reported. 
Ghani had proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners among a range of options, including new elections involving the militants, and a constitutional review for a pact with the Taliban to end their conflict.
The Taliban have not yet given any formal answer to the offer.
China has worked with Pakistan and the United States to broker peace talks to end the Taliban insurgency that last year alone, killed or wounded more than 10,000 Afghan civilians, reported Reuters. 
On Wednesday, the High Peace Council chairman Mohammad Karim Khalili said practical steps will be taken on peace within the next few months. 
Khalili said renewed efforts by the council will result in official talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
“We will take (practical) steps in the next (solar) year towards ending the war, or reducing the war and towards peace,” Khalili said.
In a trip to Herat province on Saturday, Khalili said Taliban has not shown any indication that it will accept government’s peace offer.
He said the group does not want to start negotiations with government.


Story Code: 160108

News Link :
https://www.avapress.net/en/news/160108/eu-envoy-urges-countries-to-bring-taliban-talks-table

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