The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the North Atlantic Council welcomed the launch of direct intra-Afghan negotiations between the government and the Taliban in Doha on Saturday 12 September.
“This is a historic moment. It marks the beginning of a genuine peace process”, Mr Borrell said in a video statement released at the launch of the talks.
The High Representative called on the parties to accompany the start of the talks with an “immediate, comprehensive, national and unconditional” ceasefire. “With the opening of this new chapter, a simple reduction in violence is no longer enough”, he said, adding that now that all the preconditions have been met, “nothing should prevent both sides from accepting and implementing a ceasefire”.
Mr Borrell warned that the peace process must be truly Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. He therefore called on international partners to respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence in supporting the negotiations.
In a separate statement, the North Atlantic Council emphasised it expects “the negotiating teams to engage constructively in the search for a comprehensive peace agreement that will end the violence and consolidate the gains made over the past 19 years to protect human rights, [...] to observe the rule of law and to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists”.
Stressing that current levels of violence remain “unacceptable and undermine confidence in the peace process”, Council called on the Taliban to take firm action to end the violence.
It also warned that NATO would continue to consult on its military presence and, conditions permitting, adjust it to support this peace process. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)