The EU Delegation to Afghanistan and the Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister, together with the Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Afghanistan, Petras Auštrevičius, called on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 May for a permanent ceasefire in the country, after the truce obtained for Eid celebrations, and for peace negotiations.
This truce during Eid is “an encouraging first step”, stressed the EU delegation, “in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission based in Kabul”, in a statement (see EUROPE 12492/29). Believing that this opportunity should not be wasted, she urged the parties to “agree without delay to a permanent and comprehensive humanitarian ceasefire”. Such a ceasefire could lay the foundation for peace negotiations and enable Afghanistan to meet the “monumental” challenges it faces. “There is no reason to postpone the intra-Afghan Negotiations any further”, the delegation warned, calling on the Taliban to show a genuine commitment to peace and immediately agree to the start of talks.
Similarly, welcoming the “courageous gesture of good will” by President Ghani to resume the gradual release of detainees, the delegation considered that the exchange of detainees should continue without further delay and called on the Taliban to release their detainees.
Messrs McAllister (EPP, Germany) and Auštrevičius (Renew Europe, Lithuania) also called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. According to them, the political agreement of 17 May to form an inclusive government will make it possible to start the comprehensive peace process, “a precondition to ending four decades of death and destruction and to bringing stability, security and peace” (see EUROPE 12489/22). MEPs therefore called on all parties to implement this agreement “unreservedly”, “because of its importance”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)