Multiple Afghan Party Leaders Miss Pilot Reconciliation Council Meeting - Abdullah

KABUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2020) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Afghanistan's Hezb-e Islami party, and Jamiat-e-Islami leader Salahuddin Rabbani were both absent from Saturday's inaugural meeting of the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, the council's chairman, said on Saturday.

"Hezb-e-Islami and Jamiat-e-Islami leaders did not attend the meeting, but promised to take part in the consultations," Abdullah said at a press briefing.

Abdullah also thanked the international community for its efforts to support the Afghan peace process, adding that the High Council for National Reconciliation will continue to work to build consensus within the peace process.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a speech to the leadership committee meeting and said that the peace talks have entered the "second phase" following the agreement reached between the government and the Taliban over the framework of the ongoing intra-Afghan talks in Qatar.

"The peace talks have entered a second phase, and there is a need to increase consultations in this regard," Ghani said.

The president also called on the Taliban to reduce violence and make a commitment to work towards a permanent ceasefire and political solution to end the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan.

The intra-Afghan peace negotiations began in the Qatari capital of Doha back in September. Both sides on Wednesday announced that they had come to an agreement on the framework of the talks, allowing for discussions to now be held on substantive issues.