Taliban confirm Qatar office

Afghan government earlier agreed to representative office for Taliban

KABUL – After strenuous negotiations, the Afghan Taliban confirmed January 3 that they had agreed to open an office in Qatar to facilitate peace talks with the Afghan government.
“We are now ready to have a political office overseas … and in this regard we have reached an initial understanding with Qatar and relevant sites,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement, according to Afghan media.

“The Taliban have agreed to open a political representative office in Qatar and the government is in the process of responding to the Taliban,” Janan Mosazi, Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman, told Central Asia Online. The Taliban spokesman also called for the release of incarcerated Taliban militants.

“I think that the talks have progressed to some level,” said Sayed Mohammad Akbar Agha, the former leader of the Taliban's Jaish-ul-Muslimin Movement. “The talks that have been held in Qatar would be good to save Afghanistan from problems. Whether the Taliban office is in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or Turkey, I think it would make no difference.”

Karzai ready for Qatar office
On December 27, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told Turkish journalists that his government would support a Taliban office in Qatar. Karzai had earlier ruled out Qatar, saying he preferred the office be in Turkey or Saudi Arabia.

However the Afghan government wanted the insurgents to have an address as soon as possible to facilitate practical steps toward peace, Karzai said.

The Afghan High Peace Council in late December said Kabul would accept a Taliban liaison office in Qatar but underlined that no foreign power could participate in the negotiating process without its consent, media reported.

HI also supports process
In another major development, Hezb-i-Islami of Afghanistan (HI) said it supports the peace process in Afghanistan.

An HI delegation led by former jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar held “beneficial” talks with Afghan government officials, Qarib-ur-Rahman Saeed, head of the HI political office in Europe, told Pajhwok Afghan News January 3.

The government side included Karzai and other high officials, Saeed said.

The HI is optimistic about the talks’ outcome, Saeed said, although he gave no further details about the “very important and beneficial” negotiations.

Haroon Zarghun, an HI spokesman, and Aimal Faizi, a presidential spokesman, confirmed the HI delegation's meeting with Karzai.

There is a need for an inter-Afghan settlement, Zarghun said of the visit.

Pakistan supports Qatar office
Pakistan has welcomed the opening of a Taliban representative office in Qatar and expressed its belief in the need for political reconciliation.