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AT News Report-KABUL: Regarding the prospect of Taliban ceasefire, a member of senate says he is optimistic to imminent peace following the US announcement over holding talks to the Taliban representatives.
Asef Seddiqi, deputy head of senate, said Saturday that ceasefire from the government and Taliban as well as the US announcement for talks with Taliban show that Afghanistan is closer to peace.
“We have more chance now because the US and NATO have brought more pressures on our neighboring countries to reduce support to Taliban. The US is fully committed to help Afghanistan reach peace, and the ceasefire from Taliban is actually a green light for the peace,” Seddiqi said.
The government announced a week-long ceasefire with the Taliban that will begin from Tuesday. The announcement was followed by Taliban’s response to hold a three-day long ceasefire (the days of Eid-ul-Fetr).
Meanwhile, a senior US official, welcomed the Afghan government’s ceasefire and Taliban’s positive response, said that her country would be ready to participate the peace talks with Taliban representatives.
She however, said that the US could not replace Afghan government and people in the peace process.
An official of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said that Taliban’s military wing now believes that it would be impossible to win through war.
He added that some individuals in the government of Afghanistan and in Taliban’s ranks receive money for disordering peace process and continue war.
The Taliban had earlier asked for direct talks with the US government, but the demand was rejected by Washington.
A Taliban Spokesman, QariYousufAhmadi, said the group would be prepared for talks with the US if Washington was honest in what it said.
A Western analyst said that Russia, Iran, China and Pakistan had close diplomatic ties with Taliban and they don’t let Afghanistan experience stability, because stability in Afghanistan means stability of the US military base in the heart of the region.
Afghan analysts also suggest an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
“If the US supports the Afghan-led peace talks, it is good, but if the US enters a direct talk with Taliban, Afghanistan sovereignty would go under question,” said political expert, Ahmad Saeedi.
