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Taliban state they ‘are not ready’ for the Istanbul Conference
The Taliban’s spokesman Mohammad Naeem said on Monday the group is not ready to participate at the Istanbul Conference scheduled to start on April 16.
Naeem told Ariana News that if a later date is set, the group will hold discussions on whether to attend and will then “share the details of our decisions.”
Meanwhile, the Afghan government and the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) are working to finalize the list of Turkey conference participants that will represent the Republic.
Sources said that 19 people – including politicians, government officials, and representatives of Afghan women – are expected to attend the conference.
According to the source, Chairman of the HCNR Abdullah Abdullah, Former President Hamid Karzai, Former Mujahidin leader Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Jamiat-e-Islami Leader Salahuddin Rabbani, Former Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili, Former Vice President Yunus Qanuni, Former Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, NSA Hamdullah Mohib, Sayeed Hamid Gailani, President’s Advisor for Political and Security Affairs Mohammad Mohaqiq, Chief Negotiator Masoom Stanekzai, Salam Rahimi, Deputy HCNR Hajji Din Mohammad, Habiba Sarabi, Fawzia Koofi, Fatima Gailani, and Hizb-e-Islami Leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are expected to attend the Istanbul Conference from the Islamic Republic side.
The HCNR, however, said this list is not finalized, adding “changes could be made in the list. Most of the participants are leading politicians.”
This comes as the US, UN, Turkey, and Qatar have handed over guiding principles for the Istanbul Summit to the Afghan government and the Taliban.
A document seen by Ariana News shows that there are nine guiding principles that could help the negotiating parties reach an agreement on some key points ahead of the Istanbul conference.
The principles include:
1- A permanent and comprehensive ceasefire is needed for the country
2- Conducting joint work for the restoration of peace without mutual accusation
3- Political partnership under Islamic principles
4- Formation of an inclusive and accountable participatory government
5- Future political arrangements need to reflect the diversity of Afghan society by way of providing equal rights for all citizens and without discrimination
6- Protecting and supporting human rights in Afghanistan
7- Future government will implement a balanced socio-economic development program to cope with poverty in Afghanistan
8- Afghanistan will maintain friendly relations with its neighbors, the region, and the international community
9- The two parties have to engage in peaceful negotiations in order to implement these principles
Afghanistan’s Minister of Finance, Mohammad Nasir Akhund, has travelled to Iran at the head of a delegation following an official invitation from Iran’s Minister of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance said.
During the visit, Akhund is expected to meet with various Iranian officials to discuss bilateral economic, trade, customs and other related issues.
The visit will also include discussions on key topics for an upcoming meeting of the joint economic commission between Afghanistan and Iran.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, on Saturday inaugurated the rehabilitated 110-kilovolt (kV) power transmission line connecting Maimana and Andkhoy in Faryab province.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for Economic Affairs, the completion of the project will provide around 60,000 consumers with a more stable and reliable electricity supply.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Baradar said the project would help meet local electricity needs, expand industrial activities and contribute to the region’s economic and social development.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) had implemented several electricity generation and transmission projects in a relatively short period, reducing reliance on imported electricity and power outages while creating new opportunities for industrial growth.
Baradar also said several major electricity infrastructure projects would be implemented over the next year to ensure a sustainable power supply, adding that the country’s existing electricity capacity would increase several times.
Addressing Afghanistan’s security situation, Baradar said the country was currently experiencing a level of security that he claimed was unmatched in most countries. He added that foreign tourists and visitors had continued to travel to Afghanistan since the IEA returned to power, including to remote areas of the country.
He rejected security-related concerns raised by some countries over travel to Afghanistan, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated. He called on the international community to strengthen meaningful engagement with Afghanistan based on realities on the ground.
Baradar also invited domestic and foreign investors to invest in Afghanistan, saying a secure and suitable environment had been created for large- and medium-scale investments.
The UN refugee agency’s representative in Afghanistan has called on the international community to maintain their support for Afghanistan, warning that the return of more than 6.5 million Afghans over the past three years has placed significant pressure on the country.
Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, made the remarks during the eighth International Conference on Action with Women and Peace in Seoul, South Korea, where he highlighted the challenges facing returnees amid poverty, drought and climate-related disasters.
He said the returning population accounts for around 15 percent of Afghanistan’s total population, describing the influx as one of the world’s largest movements of people. He added that Afghanistan was struggling to absorb the large-scale returns due to its existing economic and humanitarian challenges.
Jamal also highlighted difficulties facing Afghan women, saying that the absence of war does not necessarily mean all citizens enjoy safety.
In a separate interview with The Korea Times during his visit to Seoul, Jamal said supporting refugees and vulnerable countries was not simply an act of charity but an investment in a safer and more stable international environment.
He stressed that Afghanistan’s strategic location, bordering seven countries including China, Pakistan and Iran, makes its stability a matter of wider international concern. Although the country is relatively calm at present, he cautioned that this situation should not be taken for granted without continued international support.
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