Refusal To Attend Turkey Conference Shows Taliban's Reluctance To Settle Conflict - Source

Refusal to Attend Turkey Conference Shows Taliban's Reluctance to Settle Conflict - Source

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2021) The Taliban movement's decision to refrain from taking part in any conference on the Afghan peace process, including the one in Turkey, proves its inconstancy and unwillingness to settle the protracted conflict, a source in the presidential palace in Kabul told Sputnik on Wednesday.

A day earlier, a Taliban spokesperson said that the movement would not attend any talks until all foreign military forces completely withdraw from Afghanistan. Also on Tuesday, the United Nations announced that the Afghan peace conference was scheduled to take place in Istanbul from April 24 to May 4 in cooperation with the government of Qatar.

"One thing that is clear is ... that the Taliban were more trusted and more credible before than now. The Afghan government welcomes any meeting and conference that is for peace, and as the Taliban escape from the Turkey conference, it is clear that these groups have not yet taken a step towards peace and do not believe in peace," the source said.

While Kabul has confirmed to Sputnik that its delegation would attend the event, the Taliban's political bureau in Qatar told Sputnik on Monday that the group would not join the conference if it takes place on April 16. Later, a source in the movement told Sputnik that the Taliban might attend the meeting if it was held four days later than the scheduled date.

The idea of convening international stakeholders, including Russia, China, India, Iran, and Pakistan, for an UN-mediated conference on the Afghan peace process in Turkey was voiced by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani last month.

The discussions on Afghan reconciliation have been hosted by several platforms, including Moscow and Doha.