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Political Leaders Attend 2nd Meeting of Reconciliation Council

The leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation on Saturday held their second meeting led by Abdullah Abdullah, head of the council, with a focus on ways forward in the peace negotiations.

The first part of the meeting was held before the media, but the second part was held behind closed doors.

The meeting comes after the negotiators in Doha agreed on the procedural rules of the talks and paused the negotiations for 23 days to hold consultations on the recommendations of both sides that will be added to the agenda of the negotiations.

Abdullah Abdullah said in the meeting that the negotiations will resume on January 5, 2021, and the venue for the talks should not be an obstacle.

“The people of Afghanistan are determined to support and welcome the peace process. We and the people of Afghanistan are supporting the Islamic Republic’s negotiation team, and we are looking forward to positive outcomes in the second phase,” he said.

Abdullah said that the negotiating team will report to the High Council for National Reconciliation and to the Leadership Committee of the council.

“We are here to listen to you and support you at all levels. The leadership council meetings will take place on regular basis,” Abdullah said.

“You are representing the Republic of Afghanistan and its great people. You can enter into talks with the Taliban and discuss all the topics of the agenda. You should demonstrate that peace is a priority for the republic,” Abdullah said.

Addressing the event, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, former mujahideen leader, commended the negotiating team for keeping its unity during the talks and said that as far as the negotiators have started their formal talks, any individual attempt in the negotiations should stop.

Sayyaf said the Afghan side has the will for peace and that peace is the demand of every Afghan.

Sayyaf says the Afghan Republic negotiating team succeeded to keep their unity during the talks.

Former president Hamid Karzai said in the meeting that the negotiating team "did a great job" in the negotiations and that Afghans are in urgent need of peace.

First Vice President Amrulalh Saleh said the Afghan war is complicated and that its external dimensions are much bigger than its internal dimensions.

He said that the peace process will be further complicated if "the Taliban continues to kill elders, journalists and civil society activists.”

Former vice president Mohammad Yunus Qanooni said in the meeting that people are sacrificed in the war every day.

He called on the government leaders to find a solution to the crisis in the country.

Qanooni said women’s presence in the meetings of the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation should be strengthened.

He said the peace negotiations need flexibility from both sides to move the process forward.

The first meeting of the reconciliation council was held on December 5.

Political Leaders Attend 2nd Meeting of Reconciliation Council

Abdullah Abdullah said in the meeting that the negotiations will resume on January 5, 2021.

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The leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation on Saturday held their second meeting led by Abdullah Abdullah, head of the council, with a focus on ways forward in the peace negotiations.

The first part of the meeting was held before the media, but the second part was held behind closed doors.

The meeting comes after the negotiators in Doha agreed on the procedural rules of the talks and paused the negotiations for 23 days to hold consultations on the recommendations of both sides that will be added to the agenda of the negotiations.

Abdullah Abdullah said in the meeting that the negotiations will resume on January 5, 2021, and the venue for the talks should not be an obstacle.

“The people of Afghanistan are determined to support and welcome the peace process. We and the people of Afghanistan are supporting the Islamic Republic’s negotiation team, and we are looking forward to positive outcomes in the second phase,” he said.

Abdullah said that the negotiating team will report to the High Council for National Reconciliation and to the Leadership Committee of the council.

“We are here to listen to you and support you at all levels. The leadership council meetings will take place on regular basis,” Abdullah said.

“You are representing the Republic of Afghanistan and its great people. You can enter into talks with the Taliban and discuss all the topics of the agenda. You should demonstrate that peace is a priority for the republic,” Abdullah said.

Addressing the event, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, former mujahideen leader, commended the negotiating team for keeping its unity during the talks and said that as far as the negotiators have started their formal talks, any individual attempt in the negotiations should stop.

Sayyaf said the Afghan side has the will for peace and that peace is the demand of every Afghan.

Sayyaf says the Afghan Republic negotiating team succeeded to keep their unity during the talks.

Former president Hamid Karzai said in the meeting that the negotiating team "did a great job" in the negotiations and that Afghans are in urgent need of peace.

First Vice President Amrulalh Saleh said the Afghan war is complicated and that its external dimensions are much bigger than its internal dimensions.

He said that the peace process will be further complicated if "the Taliban continues to kill elders, journalists and civil society activists.”

Former vice president Mohammad Yunus Qanooni said in the meeting that people are sacrificed in the war every day.

He called on the government leaders to find a solution to the crisis in the country.

Qanooni said women’s presence in the meetings of the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation should be strengthened.

He said the peace negotiations need flexibility from both sides to move the process forward.

The first meeting of the reconciliation council was held on December 5.

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