Researchers and political commentators discussed the failures and details of former president Dr. Najibullah’s reconciliation plan at a roundtable meeting in Kabul on Thursday and compared it with the current situation and ongoing peace process undertaken by the Afghan government and the United States.  
 
Speakers attending the discussion, organized by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS), said that lessons should be learned from history regarding the peace process and that a solid international guarantee is needed to ensure lasting peace in Afghanistan.
 
They said that currently the Taliban own the peace process and government does not have a clear position regarding the initiative.
 
 They said the current peace process is similar to Najibullah’s peace and national reconciliation plan.
 
Experts called on Afghan politicians to avoid using the peace process with the Taliban - a complicated issue - as a tool to further their own interests.
 
Key issues which were discussed at the roundtable meeting included that of a ceasefire, national coalition government and the situation of the country should the Taliban join the peace process.
 
Experts said that factors such as a lack of regional and international consensus, unfavorable political and military atmosphere, numerous proposals and contradictions and the stalemate in the war were behind the failure of Najibullah’s peace plan.  
 
“Dr. Najib had inherited a failed legacy. The civil war had reached its peak and the ruling party had monopolized power,” said general Abdul Hadi Khalid, a military and political researcher.
 
“Both in the United States and Pakistan there was a perception that Dr. Najibullah’s government would  come to an end within six months and there should be no support for a complex national reconciliation plan,” said Ferdaws Kawosh, a journalist.
 
“At this juncture, we should work to benefit from the international community as a guarantee in Afghanistan’s peace process and also as a supporter of Afghanistan’s reconstruction,” said Khalid. 
 
“The Taliban are owning the peace process and the government does not have a clear stance in the peace process and this has worsened the peace,” said Zahir Azimi, former spokesman for the ministry of defense.
 
Thirty three years ago, Najibullah came into power and later proposed the national reconciliation plan to end the wars in the country, but the plan failed and he was toppled from power in 1992 by the Afghan Mujahideen. He was killed by the Taliban in 1996.