{"id":2448,"date":"2017-06-10T04:48:50","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T04:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/csrskabul.com\/en\/?p=2448"},"modified":"2017-06-11T04:53:30","modified_gmt":"2017-06-11T04:53:30","slug":"can-kabul-process-pave-way-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/csrsaf.org\/en\/?p=2448","title":{"rendered":"Can the \u201cKabul Process\u201d pave the way for peace?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Despite the bloody security incidents and deep internal political divisions, the \u201cKabul Process\u201d was held in Kabul last week. The representatives of several international entities and more than 23 countries including Pakistan, Iran, the US, and the UK had participated in this conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

The responsibility for the management and implementation of the decisions made in the Afghan Government\u2019s initiative \u201cKabul Process\u201d lies with the Afghan government, a point which differentiates this process from the other similar processes. Speaking at the conference, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said, \u201cToday, we have gathered here, to unite against terrorism and to show that we want peace; we have the capacity to bring peace and that we are honest about peace\u2026 If there is agreement to develop a peace roadmap acceptable to both sides, the Afghan government would allow the Taliban to open a representative office.\u201d [1]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

What was the primary objective of the Kabul Process? What role will it play in reinitiating the peace process? With this process launched, has the government\u2019s peace policy changed? What is the evaluation of the National Unity Government\u2019s (NUG) peace strategy before Kabul Process?  These are the questions that are analyzed here.  <\/span><\/p>\n

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The NUG and its peace policy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Since the formation of the NUG, ending the Afghan war, strengthening the Afghan forces, and the peace process was the main elements of the Afghan foreign policy. Seeking to undertake measures for the peace process, the Afghan President started a series of foreign trips from China, and Saudi Arabia, to Pakistan and in order to have Pakistan\u2019s assistance in the peace process, he gave Pakistan many privileges. Hence, Kabul\u2019s peace strategy largely relied on Pakistan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the trilateral efforts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China were another initiative launched regarding the Afghan peace process; the Urumqi talks are projection of this initiative. Efforts were also made to include the Taliban in these discussions because before that in the Urumqi talks the Afghan Taliban were not represented. <\/span><\/p>\n

The only achievement that the Afghan government had from the whole trend was the Murree talks. However, these talks were also stalled after the enclosure of the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar. Later, the Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, and the US quadrilateral peace talks started. Nonetheless, this process did not have any practical achievement either, and the Afghan Taliban refused to take part in it. Hence, the way for direct talks was not paved. The main reason for the failure of this process was the fact that, instead of giving the Taliban a proper representation, the Afghan government invited them through Pakistan and threatened to take steps against them in case they did not come to the negotiation table. Although Pakistan accepted the responsibility of bringing the Taliban to the talks and made promises in this regard, however, it did nothing later. Thus, the bilateral relations between Kabul and Islamabad become more tenuous than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The primary objectives of the Kabul Process<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The main aims of the NUG for launching the Kabul process are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n