THE MYRIAD NEWS Afghanistan Peace Talks Remain Unsuccessful – The Myriad
Editor in Chief Celine Park reports on the negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghani government which have recently slowed to a halt.
By Celine Park
Afghanistan, which is known to the world as the “graveyard of empires” has a long history of bloody conflict. After fighting with the Afghani government for over two decades, the Taliban, a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist organization, finally agreed in September of 2020 to negotiate face-to-face peace talks in Doha following the Afghani government’s release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.
Despite the unprecedented dialogue taking place, the two very different goals the Afghani government and the Taliban have in mind make a mutual agreement highly unlikely in the near future.
The root of the problem stems from the disagreement in the government structure of the potentially restructured Afghani government; while the Afghani government’s main objective is a cease-fire to prevent further damage on the Afghani society, the Taliban remains unwavering in its stance for a “strict, Islamic government”. Negotiators are unclear as to what exactly defines a strict, Islamic government, making many possible solutions less viable.
Another obstacle the Afghani government faces is the Taliban’s condition of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region, this process of withdrawal occurring since the beginning of 2020. However, both parties now look towards the United States as a result of the 2020 election of President Joseph R. Biden.
With the 46th inauguration nearing, the new presidential administration could effectively change the course of negotiations by either stopping the withdrawal of U.S. troops or continuing the process while juggling the Afghani government’s desire for a cease-fire.