The upcoming Istanbul Conference, according to Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers, will help make the current Afghan peace process \”result-oriented.\”
Pakistan FM Calls Afghan FM
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar shared a conversation. They spoke on the phone about the recent developments and success in the intra-Afghan dialogue. According to a statement from Pakistan\’s Foreign Ministry, it will put an end to the country\’s decades-long conflict.
Qureshi, who is currently in UAE for a three-day visit, expressed hope that the Istanbul Conference will help to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan and make the 2020 Doha peace agreement more result-oriented.
He reiterated Islamabad\’s support for the peace talks, saying a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan\’s best interests. For his part, Atmar praised Islamabad\’s ongoing \”diplomatic, democratic, and spiritual\” contributions to the Afghan peace process. According to the release, the two top diplomats decided to meet during the meeting. Soon after the Istanbul summit, Qureshi welcomed Atmar to Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Role in the Talks
Subsequently, since last September, the Islamabad-brokered peace talks in Doha intended to end decades of conflict. It aimed to pave the way for a post-war Afghan society. However, it hasn\’t made any progress.
Moreover, Pakistan, which has a lot of clout with the Taliban, is looking forward to the upcoming Afghan peace conference. The conference will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. Pakistan hopes that it will be a good chance for Afghan leaders to make strides toward a negotiated political settlement. Islamabad set up direct talks between the US and the Taliban in December 2018, opening the way for the 2020 peace agreement.
Call to Turkish Foreign Minister
In a phone call with Atmar on Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt avuşolu briefed him on recent NATO talks in which the allies decided to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan by September 11.
Biden’s Plan
Though military advisors urged a troop buildup to fight Taliban advances, Biden was a lone voice in the Obama administration, advising the 44th president to move toward a narrower counterterrorism mission in the region.
Furthermore, in regards to the current situation, Biden has stated certain remarks regarding the US\’s foreign policy. Biden suggested that the policy has to be re-calibrated. This will ultimately deal with the greater threats faced by China and Russia.
Lastly, withdrawing all US troops carries significant risks. It could help the Taliban reclaim authority and reverse decades of progress in democracy and women\’s rights. It also exposes Biden to attacks from Republicans and some Democrats, including the fact that former President Donald Trump had wished for a complete withdrawal as well.
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