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KABUL: Peace negotiations with the Taliban will never culminate in ‘one country, two systems’, said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation.
In a conversation with “Foreign Relations Council” think tank in the U.S., Dr. Abdullah ruled out the birth of two forms of government after peace talks with Taliban. He rejected speculations that Taliban have been awaiting a withdrawal of foreign troops to suppress the Afghan government and ride to power again.
“Such speculation is a huge miscalculation which stymies the opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan and perpetuates war and bloodshed,” argued Dr. Abdullah.
Alluding to the battle between Taliban regime and the Northern Alliance forces, Dr. Abdullah said, “Taliban must have understood they can never achieve that goal even if they reign over 85% of the country.”
Pundits believe war will not end with a reconciliation between the government and the Taliban and the conflict will continue at the hands of other armed groups including Daesh.
But Abdullah’s statement contradicts this general belief. “When Taliban are not fighting, other armed groups such as Daesh will not have chance and will be exterminated automatically,” he said. But he didn’t deny that al-Qaeda rebels and terrorists linked to neighboring countries – a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan – are operating in eastern Afghanistan.
Taliban hostilities have escalated since the past few months and after the start of peace negotiations in Qatar. More than 1,207 civilians have been killed and 2,293 injured in more than 7,000 attacks orchestrated by the Taliban.
This is as President Ghani called for an immediate ceasefire and reduction of violence in his speech in the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, calling on the United Nations to help Afghans in achieving an “independent, united, democratic and peaceful” Afghanistan.
Taliban have also been pushing for formation of an “all-inclusive Islamic state”, which some analysts interpret as the re-establishment of their emirate.
