BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2020) The Kabul authorities are trying to stall the beginning of the intra-Afghan peace talks by not releasing the mandatory 5,000 prisoners, Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the political office of the Taliban militant movement, told Sputnik in a phone interview.
"According to the peace agreement, it was that the Kabul administration would release 5,000 of our prisoners, and we would release 1,000 prisoners of the Kabul administration. We have already released more than 1,000 prisoners. Some 1,005 prisoners. And it was completed on the eve of Eid al Adha. But the Kabul administration, from the beginning, they resorted to delaying tactics, they delay and then they release and then they make some pretexts and create some hurdles. So far, they released 4,450 of our prisoners," Shaheen said when asked about the obstacles to the process.
The spokesman also slammed Kabul for summoning a Loya Jirga council on Friday to determine whether or not to release the last batch of prisoners promised to the Taliban.
"And for the remaining prisoners, they convened Loya Jirga, while there was no need for that. So, all the hurdles and obstacles are created by the Kabul administration, and all the delaying tactics are made by them. And the reason that after that we have not been able to start the intra-Afghan negotiations. We hope these tactics will be put an end to and we honestly start proceedings with the peace process," Shaheen added.
He also confirmed that the issue of a ceasefire would be discussed during the talks.
"Yes, the ceasefire is one of the items on the agenda to be discussed at the intra-Afghan negotiations, and that would be possible when the intra-Afghan negotiations start, then, among other issues to be discussed, such as the future political setup of Afghanistan and other items, the ceasefire will also be discussed, the permanent ceasefire to bring lasting peace to the country," the spokesman said in response to a question about the implementation of the current ceasefire agreement.
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 have been taking place over the last few months.
