QATAR is committed to achieving peace in Afghanistan and is making tremendous efforts to facilitate peace talks between the parties in Afghanistan. This was underlined when Qatar and four other countries namely Germany, Indonesia, Norway, and Uzbekistan welcomed the announcement of ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban during Eid Al Fitr. In a joint statement, the five countries said that the ceasefire is a positive step forward that gives cause for hope. The Afghan people deserve an end to violence as well as a dignified peace and stability, the statement said. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, tweeted: “We welcome the announcements by the Afghan government and the Taliban about ceasefire during Eid Al Fitr. We encourage the parties to take further steps to promote intra-Afghan negotiations and secure a durable peace settlement that ends the conflict in Afghanistan.” The five countries urged both the Afghan government and the Taliban to take further steps in the days and weeks ahead in order to enter into, without delay, intraAfghan negotiations aimed at securing a durable peace settlement that ends the conflict in Afghanistan.
The Afghan government yesterday released 100 more Taliban captives as “a goodwill gesture” on the second day of a rare cease-fire. The National Security Council said the move is in line with the fresh directives by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. On Sunday, Ghani’s office said the President issued directives to initiate the process to release up to 2,000 Taliban operatives as a goodwill gesture in response to the group’s announcement of a ceasefire during Eid Al Fitr, which was reciprocated by the government. It must be mentioned that Ambassador H E Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, recently highlighted the role played by Qatar in Afghanistan’s peace process and said Qatar’s efforts resulted in a historic agreement signed in Doha to bring peace to Afghanistan between the United States and the Taliban. To end years of war in Afghanistan, the US and the Taliban, on February 29, signed an agreement under which the US and its allies will withdraw their troops from Afghanistan within 14 months if the other side honours its commitment to the wide-ranging clauses of the pact mainly sticking to non-violence. Preventing conflict, mediation and maintaining peace is a priority of the foreign policy of the State of Qatar. The State is sparing no effort in continuing its unremitting efforts in these negotiations with international actors to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan.
