Doha teams meet for third consecutive day post renewal of engagement
Dec 08, 2020
Kabul [Afghanistan], December 8 : The working groups of the negotiating teams of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban held meetings on the agenda of the peace negotiations for the third day in a row on Monday "after a breakthrough" was made with an agreement on procedural rules.
Sources said that the Taliban prepared a 22-article proposal to be included in the agenda of the talks but the government has said a ceasefire is the most important demand that the Republic team wants to add to the agenda, according to Sources as reported by Tolo News.
Sources further added that the terrorist organisation did not include the release of their prisoners to be discussed in the talks "as they think that they will solve it with the Americans.
US Charge d'Affaires Ross Wilson said that the Taliban is expecting the release of thousands of their prisoners under their agreement with Washington by mid-December.
"The Taliban expect under the terms of that agreement that there would be progress on releasing those prisoners by roughly mid-December. I have forgotten the exact date. I think it's our view," he said in a chat with reporters on Sunday.
On the possible release of 7,000 Taliban inmates, there have been no comments from the Afghan government but it confirmed that the ceasefire is the most important demand of the negotiating team of the Afghan Republic and it will be added to the peace talks agenda.
"The key issue in the agenda for the people of Afghanistan is a ceasefire," presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said, as quoted by Tolo News.
Flexibility is needed from both sides if progress is to be made towards a political settlement.
Tolo News reported that the working committees from the peace negotiating teams, on Saturday, held their first meeting to discuss issues around the agenda of the potential formal peace negotiations.
The meeting came after a delay in the start of negotiations over differences in procedural rules for the talks.
The peace negotiations in Doha started in September but direct negotiations were delayed due to disagreement on procedural rules. Critics said they hope direct talks will begin soon as there has been progressing in the talks.
