After years of long hectic negotiations, the United States and Afghan Taliban signed a peace deal on Saturday to put an end to the 18-year-old long bloodshed in the country.
Taliban's deputy leader and chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar signed the peace accord on behalf of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, while US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad signed on behalf of Washington.
The signing ceremony was attended by Afghan Taliban, Afghan government officials and leaders from US, Qatar and Pakistan. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also present at the signing of US-Taliban peace deal in Doha on behalf of Pakistan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also present at the ceremony.
Earlier on Saturday FM Qureshi met Khalilzad in Doha hours before the US and Taliban prepared to ink an historic peace agreement in the Qatari capital.
During their meeting , Khalilzad apprised FM Qureshi of the latest situation arising from the possible signing of the deal that would see America end one the longest running wars it has ever been involved in.
"Pakistan hopes for intra-Afghan dialogue after the peace deal is signed," FM Qureshi said while meeting Khalilzad. "The international community needs to help rebuild and develop the war-tron country," the foreign minister added in his comments to the US representative.
The US will now announce a timeline for withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban that they won’t allow the militant groups such as al-Qaeda to operate in Afghanistan.
US will keep on pressing all sides to stick to the agreement: Pompeo
Pompeo noted that the US and the Taliban had agreed to end a long-winded conflict.
"We have endured decades of hostility; previous talks have faltered. The agreement we will sign today is a true testament of our actions," he said, thanking the emir of Qatar for his assistance in the negotiations.
"Violence levels [in Afghanistan] have reaced the lowest point in the last 40 years. The Taliban have demonstrated that when they have the will to be peaceful, they can be," Pompeo said.
"We are just at the beginning — furthering the cause of peace will require sacrifice by all sides. This agreement will not mean anything if we do not take concrete action on the promises made today.
"All Afghans deserve to live and prosper without fear. The Afghanistan of 2020 is not the same as the Afghanistan of 2001. If you remain committed to the Afghan government, we and the international community are with you," he said.
Mullah Baradar thanks Pakistan for its role in peace process
"The agreement is good for the nation of Afghanistan and the international community. I congratulate everyone," Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said, speaking after Pompeo.
"We want a positive relationship with all. We are committed to enforce this agreement and we want, as a political force, to maintain positive relationships with our neighbours and the regional and international community.
"The Afghan nation has been suffering for the past four decades and we hope that with the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, the nation will embark on a new and prosperous life.
"We all want unity and prosperity of our nation. I call on all Afghan factions to honestly and sincerely — for the establishment of a strong Islamic system — come to the negotiations," he urged.
"I would like to thank the Pakistanis for their work and assistance for this peace. I will also like to thank China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Iran and other countries who supported the peace process. I hope that they will participate in the rebuilding of Afghanistan," he concluded.
"Peace and blessings be upon you all."
Background
After years’ long hectic negotiations, the United States and Afghan Taliban signed a peace deal here on Saturday (today).
According to the Taliban sources, the US and Afghan government would release their 5,000 prisoners and in return the Taliban would free 1,000 prisoners of the Afghan government. The US will also announce a timeline for withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban that they won’t allow the militant groups such as al-Qaeda to operate in Afghanistan.
The Taliban said their deputy leader and chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will sign the peace accord on behalf of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan — a title they are using for their armed movement.
Similarly, the Taliban said US representative for Afghanistan and their chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad was likely to sign the peace deal on behalf of the United States. Taliban sources said they had demanded US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to be present in the peace agreement ceremony. However, it was not clear if they would be coming, though some sources said Mike Pompeo had already arrived in Doha and would attend the ceremony.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also arrived to represent Pakistan. According to the Taliban sources, their delegation, comprising senior Taliban leaders, had arrived in Doha to attend what they called “a historic ceremony”, which is to going to be held in Qatar’s first five-star hotel Sheraton Grand.
On Friday, there were rumours that some issues were still unresolved and the signing ceremony of peace accord could probably be postponed. According to insiders, the Afghan government initially avoided sending its delegation to attend the signing ceremony but later it agreed to send a six-member delegation to figure out solution to the prisoners’ swap with the Taliban.
The Afghan delegation, including a woman and five men, spent a busy day holding meetings with multiple people on the exchange of prisoners going to happen soon after the signing of peace accord.
According to the Taliban, their issues with the US had almost resolved but since the prisoners’ swap was related to the Afghan government, it created a bit confusion just one day before the signing of peace accord.
“The Americans had taken responsibility to ensure the release of prisoners. They called the Afghan delegation to Doha and wanted them to share a list of their 1,000 prisoners with the Taliban,” said one Taliban leader in Doha.
Pleading anonymity, he said they had already delivered lists of their 5,000 prisoners to the United States. “In return, we would free 1,000 prisoners of the Afghan government but they were yet to share their lists with us,” said one senior Taliban leaders in Doha.
He said the Afghan government seemed to have some reservations about the prisoners’ swap and that’s why it started adopting delaying tactics. “But we have been working nonstop on this issue since Thursday and are hopeful of resolving it,” he said, adding that they had fulfilled their commitment made with the US during the peace process and now it was their responsibility to make sure the Afghan government showed sincerity in the peace process.
“In case our prisoners are not freed after the signing of peace deal, we will not join the intra-Afghan dialogue. We know implementation of the peace accord on the ground would be a difficult challenge for all of us but we are hopeful,” said the Taliban leader.
Taliban said they had invited world leaders and ambassadors from around 26 countries to the peace accord ceremony. The peace process with the US had started in 2008. They held talks in 2010 and 2012, but failed to make any breakthrough. They began the peace process with the Trump administration and after many ups and downs, they concluded the negotiations in February and agreed to sign a peace deal.
The Taliban said they could extend the seven-day "Reduction in Violence" (RIV) announced on February 22 in Afghanistan if the US fulfilled its commitment.
The Taliban leaders said the US would begin a phased withdrawal of American and coalition forces. After that, the Afghan government and members of other political parties, as well as civil society groups, would need to constitute a delegation to begin the intra-Afghan dialogue or further peace negotiations with the Taliban.
AFP adds: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Friday warned Iran against scuttling an upcoming agreement with the Taliban, accusing it of seeking to be a "spoiler."
Pompeo confirmed that a one-week partial truce was holding with the Taliban, who are scheduled to sign the landmark accord with the United States in Qatar on Saturday (today). "There is a history of Iran engaging in activity inside of Afghanistan to act as a spoiler," Pompeo told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"We´ve seen just these last six days a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan and we are watching closely to see if the Islamic Republic of Iran begins to take even more active measure that undermine our efforts at peace and reconciliation," he said.
He warned that Iran could increase risks for US troops, whose numbers were expected to be sharply scaled down under the Doha agreement.
A comprehensive peace agreement is made of four parts:
1. Guarantees and enforcement mechanisms that will prevent the use of the soil of Afghanistan by any group or individual against the security of the United States and its allies.
2. Guarantees, enforcement mechanisms, and announcement of a timeline for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan.
3. After the announcement of guarantees for a complete withdrawal of foreign forces and timeline in the presence of international witnesses, and guarantees and the announcement in the presence of international witnesses that Afghan soil will not be used against the security of the United States and its allies, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will start intra-Afghan negotiations with Afghan sides on March 10, 2020, which corresponds to Rajab 15, 1441 on the Hijri Lunar calendar and Hoot 20, 1398 on the Hijri Solar calendar.
4. A permanent and comprehensive ceasefire will be an item on the agenda of the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations. The participants of intra-Afghan negotiations will discuss the date and modalities of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, including joint implementation mechanisms, which will be announced along with the completion and agreement over the future political roadmap of Afghanistan.
The four parts above are interrelated and each will be implemented in accordance with its own agreed timeline and agreed terms. Agreement on the first two parts paves the way for the last two parts.
Following is the text of the agreement for the implementation of parts one and two of the above. Both sides agree that these two parts are interconnected. The obligations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban in this agreement apply in areas under their control until the formation of the new post-settlement Afghan Islamic government as determined by the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations.
PART ONE
The United States is committed to withdraw from Afghanistan all military forces of the United States, its allies, and Coalition partners, including all non-diplomatic civilian personnel, private security contractors, trainers, advisors, and supporting services personnel within fourteen (14) months following announcement of this agreement, and will take the following measures in this regard:
A. The United States, its allies, and the Coalition will take the following measures in the first one hundred thirty-five (135) days:
1) They will reduce the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan to eight thousand six hundred (8,600) and proportionally bring reduction in the number of its allies and Coalition forces.
2) The United States, its allies, and the Coalition will withdraw all their forces from five (5) military bases.
B. With the commitment and action on the obligations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban in Part Two of this agreement, the United States, its allies, and the Coalition will execute the following:
1) The United States, its allies, and the Coalition will complete withdrawal of all remaining forces from Afghanistan within the remaining nine and a half (9.5) months.
2) The United States, its allies, and the Coalition will withdraw all their forces from remaining bases.
C. The United States is committed to start immediately to work with all relevant sides on a plan to expeditiously release combat and political prisoners as a confidence building measure with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides. Up to five thousand (5,000) prisoners of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban and up to one thousand (1,000) prisoners of the other side will be released by March 10, 2020, the first day of intra-Afghan negotiations, which corresponds to Rajab 15, 1441 on the Hijri Lunar calendar and Hoot 20, 1398 on the Hijri Solar calendar. The relevant sides have the goal of releasing all the remaining prisoners over the course of the subsequent three months. The United States commits to completing this goal. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban commits that its released prisoners will be committed to the responsibilities mentioned in this agreement so that they will not pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies.
D. With the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the United States will initiate an administrative review of current U.S. sanctions and the rewards list against members of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban with the goal of removing these sanctions by August 27, 2020, which corresponds to Muharram 8, 1442 on the Hijri Lunar calendar and Saunbola 6, 1399 on the Hijri Solar calendar.
E. With the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the United States will start diplomatic engagement with other members of the United Nations Security Council and Afghanistan to remove members of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban from the sanctions list with the aim of achieving this objective by May 29, 2020, which corresponds to Shawwal 6, 1441 on the Hijri Lunar calendar and Jawza 9, 1399 on the Hijri Solar calendar.
F. The United States and its allies will refrain from the threat or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan or intervening in its domestic affairs.
PART TWO
In conjunction with the announcement of this agreement, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will take the following steps to prevent any group or individual, including al-Qa'ida, from using the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies:
1. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will not allow any of its members, other individuals or groups, including al-Qa'ida, to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies.
2. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will send a clear message that those who pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies have no place in Afghanistan, and will instruct members of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban not to cooperate with groups or individuals threatening the security of the United States and its allies.
3. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will prevent any group or individual in Afghanistan from threatening the security of the United States and its allies, and will prevent them from recruiting, training, and fundraising and will not host them in accordance with the commitments in this agreement.
4. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban is committed to deal with those seeking asylum or residence in Afghanistan according to international migration law and the commitments of this agreement, so that such persons do not pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies.
5. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban will not provide visas, passports, travel permits, or other legal documents to those who pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies to enter Afghanistan.
PART THREE
1. The United States will request the recognition and endorsement of the United Nations Security Council for this agreement.
2. The United States and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban seek positive relations with each other and expect that the relations between the United States and the new post-settlement Afghan Islamic government as determined by the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations will be positive.
3. The United States will seek economic cooperation for reconstruction with the new post-settlement Afghan Islamic government as determined by the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations, and will not intervene in its internal affairs.
Signed in Doha, Qatar on February 29, 2020, which corresponds to Rajab 5, 1441 on the Hijri Lunar calendar and Hoot 10, 1398 on the Hijri Solar calendar, in duplicate, in Pashto, Dari, and English languages, each text being equally authentic.
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