Afghan Taliban reconciliation plan fizzles out over militants’ rejection of Peace Council

KABUL - The ambitious Taliban reconciliation plan launched by the Afghan government has turned dormant after the Taliban and some other resistance groups in Afghanistan reportedly not only rejected the Peace Council but also distanced themselves from President Hamid Karzai.

The Nation quoted diplomatic sources, as saying that Afghan Taliban and other fighting groups have made it clear to the government that they would not join such peace efforts as long as US-led foreign troops were present in their country.

The US-backed peace initiative also suffered a serious set back after Saudi authorities possibly refused to play any role in the reconciliation process between the Afghan government and various groups resisting the US-led foreign troops, the sources added.

Karzai and Afghan President Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, Chairman of the 70-member Peace Council, had reportedly sought the role of Saudi King Abdullah in bringing the various Afghan fighting groups to the negotiation table.

Meanwhile, the sources have also attached a great significance to the parallel plans that envisage involvement of the Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries for establishing lasting peace in the war-ravaged country, the paper said.

Karzai had also sought Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s help in this regard.

Sources were of the view that Afghan government was making these efforts to draw a clear line of action ahead of the US-Afghan strategic review scheduled for next month in Washington, the paper added. (ANI)