EU Supports Afghan Peace Process, Calls For Prompt Start Of Intra-Afghan Talks - Council

The Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on the Afghanistan peace process on Friday, said that the bloc would continue supporting the country's development and called on the Taliban to allow the prompt start of intra-Afghan talks

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) The Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on the Afghanistan peace process on Friday, said that the bloc would continue supporting the country's development and called on the Taliban to allow the prompt start of intra-Afghan talks.

"The Council adopted conclusions reaffirming the EU's political commitment to support the people of Afghanistan on their path towards peace, security, stability, democracy, prosperity and self-reliance ... In its conclusions, the Council calls on the Taliban to build trust and confidence allowing the prompt start of intra-Afghan negotiations on the basis of the sufficient numbers of prisoners already released," the EU institution said in the press release.

According to the press release, the EU would also provide support to Afghanistan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bloc also condemned attacks on healthcare and humanitarian facilities in the country, "including the horrific attack at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital in Kabul of 12 May."

The Council also called on the Taliban to respect the February peace deal between the militant group and the United States. The main premises of the agreement are the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and the launch of intra-Afghan peace talks, subject to a mutual exchange of prisoners. There has been little progress in the Afghan peace process amid continuing violence in the country. Moreover, the group is demanding the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners, but the Afghan government has so far released 900 of them.