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Atmar Says Peace Talks Closer than Ever

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Thursday said he remains optimistic about the intra-Afghan negotiations to start next week, adding that the last hurdles in the way of the talks are being addressed successfully.   

The peace process has faced hurdles in recent months, including the release of 320 high-value Taliban prisoners and the release of 22 Afghan commandos by the Taliban.

“We are much closer to the start of peace negotiations that we have ever been before,” At mar said in a conversation US Institute of Peace on Thursday. “We are optimistic that next week, we will be making big progress in this respect.”  

According to Atmar, the last hurdles in the way of the talks are being addressed successfully.  

“We will be soon done with all those initial hurdles that were in the way of start the peace negotiations,” Atmar added.  

On August 9, the Loya Jirga, the grand council of over 3,000 delegates, approved the release of the 400 high-value Taliban prisoners in an aim to start the intra-Afghan negotiations, but called for a ceasefire from the Taliban. 

Atmar said that the drawdown of the international troops from Afghanistan should be conditions-based.  

“Yes, we understand that the Taliban demand for the departure of foreign troops from Afghanistan but we stress on a conditions-based drawdown of troops while we certainly demand the elimination and departure of all foreign fighters, terrorist fighters, in our country,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in an interview posted by his office on Thursday called the Afghan peace process a big achievement in his country’s foreign policy.   

“The same America chanting “do more” and raising fingers on Pakistan, made a shift change and today calls Pakistan its partner in peace,” Qureshi said.  

Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, on Thursday, said he is confident that peace negotiations will begin next week. 

Abdullah said that the Afghan government’s negotiation team is fully prepared to participate in the expected discussions.

Atmar Says Peace Talks Closer than Ever

Atmar said that last hurdles in the way of the talks are being addressed successfully.  

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Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Thursday said he remains optimistic about the intra-Afghan negotiations to start next week, adding that the last hurdles in the way of the talks are being addressed successfully.   

The peace process has faced hurdles in recent months, including the release of 320 high-value Taliban prisoners and the release of 22 Afghan commandos by the Taliban.

“We are much closer to the start of peace negotiations that we have ever been before,” At mar said in a conversation US Institute of Peace on Thursday. “We are optimistic that next week, we will be making big progress in this respect.”  

According to Atmar, the last hurdles in the way of the talks are being addressed successfully.  

“We will be soon done with all those initial hurdles that were in the way of start the peace negotiations,” Atmar added.  

On August 9, the Loya Jirga, the grand council of over 3,000 delegates, approved the release of the 400 high-value Taliban prisoners in an aim to start the intra-Afghan negotiations, but called for a ceasefire from the Taliban. 

Atmar said that the drawdown of the international troops from Afghanistan should be conditions-based.  

“Yes, we understand that the Taliban demand for the departure of foreign troops from Afghanistan but we stress on a conditions-based drawdown of troops while we certainly demand the elimination and departure of all foreign fighters, terrorist fighters, in our country,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in an interview posted by his office on Thursday called the Afghan peace process a big achievement in his country’s foreign policy.   

“The same America chanting “do more” and raising fingers on Pakistan, made a shift change and today calls Pakistan its partner in peace,” Qureshi said.  

Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, on Thursday, said he is confident that peace negotiations will begin next week. 

Abdullah said that the Afghan government’s negotiation team is fully prepared to participate in the expected discussions.

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