The EU Envoy to Afghanistan Roland Kobia on Sunday emphasized the need for the resumption of peace negotiation talks between the US and the Taliban.

The talks were scuttled in early September after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington was pulling out of the talks after the Taliban claimed an attack that killed 12 people in Kabul, including an American soldier.

Kobia said that the resumption of talks between the US and the Taliban should lead to a ceasefire and the start of intra-Afghan talks.

“The EU would like to see swift resumption of the US bilateral talks with the Taliban and the start of negotiation between the government and the Taliban,” said Kobia.

He said that all the gains Afghanistan has made in the past years should be protected. If the government was like the Islamic Emirate where these rights would be not protected, it would be a very difficult for Europeans to help the reconstruction, to provide development aid, to give access to the first world market.

The EU diplomat also called on the Afghan Presidential candidates to contribute in the transparency of the election process and avoid any moves that could create problems on the election results.

“We also understand that the elections are always a difficult political moment and that it can create a bit of tension, a bit of difficulties—we also believe that the peace and the elections are reconcilable and they do not oppose each other by definition,” said Kobia.

“We have to let the electoral commissions do its work, there is a law that is there, that should be applied. We would like to see a solution that is acceptable to all the different candidates and the level of acceptance will be enhanced by a system. But a system that leads to a situation where the results would be accepted and where the winner begins with a mandate that leaves very little rooms for contestation,” said Kobia.