DOHA: The long-awaited peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban will commence in Doha on 12 September 12, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
The talks have been made possible as a final hurdle over the release of six Taliban prisoners appears to have been resolved.
The Ministry said in a statement that the hugely important direct negotiations between various Afghan parties represent a step forward in bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan. This opportunity is made possible by an agreement signed between the United States and the Taliban in Doha earlier this year.
Special envoy to Minister of Foreign Affairs on Counter-terrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution, Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani, said: “Qatar has always placed great value in the power of diplomacy and direct dialogue to resolve disputes.”
“We will continue our role to create stability in the region. We are thankful for the work and cooperation of all parties and international partners and for their support in bringing about this historic moment.”
A permanent ceasefire is expected to be at the top of the agenda as well as a political settlement to end the years-long conflict in the country.
The intra-Afghan talks were set to take place in March but have repeatedly been delayed over a prisoner exchange agreement made as part of the US-Taliban deal signed in February.
In the agreement, the Taliban had agreed to release 1,000 Afghan troops, while the government said it would release 5,000 Taliban prisoners.
France and Australia objected to freeing six of the Taliban prisoners who were involved in the killing of their nationals. Taliban and Afghan government sources told Al Jazeera that a compromise was reached by sending the six prisoners to Qatar where they will remain in custody.
“Our six brothers [Taliban prisoners] arrived in Qatar a little while ago in good health,” Taliban spokesman Naeem Wardak said in a statement on Thursday.