Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The Afghan and Taliban negotiators agreed on a 20-day break in peace talks continued for three months in the Persian Gulf’s Arab state of Qatar.
The two sides announced late Tuesday that the next round of the intra-Afghan negotiations would begin on January 5, 2021. None of the negotiating teams has mentioned the place of the next part of talks, but said they need to mull the suggestions offered by other side for the negotiations’ agenda.
Unconfirmed reports say that the next round of the intra-Afghan talks would be hosted by a third state, while President Ghani’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has suggested it be held inside the country. Mohib said Tuesday in a tweet that Kabul would have no problem with any location that Taliban choose inside the country for negotiations.
Both the Afghan and Taliban teams have thanked Qatar for hosting the long negotiations.
“The next round of talks would be reliable for all sides and there will be a safe area for that. It will also prevent extra expenses,” Rahmatullah Andar, Spokesman of the National Security Council said Sunday.
Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they would comment later on the government’s suggestion.
Malalai Shinwari, President Ghani’s Advisor, said that she doubted if Qatar continue to be a good place for a long negotiation.
“I think Qatar is good for now. But it probably would use the Afghanistan peace talks for its own interests in the long therm. So, we’d better hold the negotiations in a country that takes side of no party,” she said.
Meanwhile, Waliullah Shahin a political analyst says that the situation inside Afghanistan for the talks was not good now.
“First, there is no a space of mutual trust to hold talks inside Afghanistan. Second, clashes are severely continuing in every province. Third, if the talks be held in Afghanistan, the international community loses access to that and the government of Afghanistan will take initiation.”
Norway, Russia, Iran, Germany, Uzbekistan and China have already announced to host the next round of the intra-Afghan talks.
