The Afghan government is attempting to reduce violence ahead of negotiations with the Taliban movement, the country's peace ministry said on Wednesday
KABUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2020) The Afghan government is attempting to reduce violence ahead of negotiations with the Taliban movement, the country's peace ministry said on Wednesday.
"The Afghan government is trying to create the necessary conditions before the talks begin to reduce the violence, and this builds trust. The Afghan government is fully prepared for the peace talks. Discussions are underway on the date and venue of the talks," ministry's spokeswoman Najia Anwari said.
Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani has urged the Taliban to carry on the ceasefire declared for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
"The Taliban must continue the ceasefire, which has made people happy on the Eid al-Fitr, and disassociate themselves from extremist movements so that peace talks can begin soon," he said during the funeral ceremony of cleric Mawlawi Ayaz Niazi, killed in a bombing on Tuesday.
On February 29, the United States and the Taliban movement signed a peace deal in the Qatari capital of Doha, stipulating the beginning of intra-Afghan negotiations, as well as prisoner exchanges. Initially, the Taliban and the Kabul government did not show much inclination to negotiate with each other, however, the prisoner exchanges that have been taking place over the last few months, as well as the recent Eid al-Fitr ceasefire, demonstrate some potential for a breakthrough in the Afghan peace process.
