Intra-Afghan talks 'waste of time' unless Taliban implements ceasefire: Ahmadzai
The peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban are a "waste of time" as long as the radical movement fails to implement its commitment to reduce violence and implement a ceasefire, Haji Nazir Ahmadzai, a senior adviser to the Afghan president on the Reconciliation of Political Parties and Tribes, told Sputnik in an interview.
"Until the ceasefire is reached, the talks don't work, it's just a waste of time," Ahmadzai said.
Commenting on why the second round of talks was delayed, the presidential aide said that Kabul's delegation has been in Doha, Qatar's capital which hosts the negotiation, "for a long time," ready to continue the talks.
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"But unfortunately the Taliban have been on foreign trips and have delayed talks," he added.
"You see, the Taliban did not implement to their promise of a ceasefire, the Taliban escalated the violence, blew up the cities, and escalated the fighting, which is unacceptable [both] to the international community and to the Afghan nation," Ahmadzai said.
According to the official, the Afghan delegation will ask US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, to "call a ceasefire in the peace process."
"If the Taliban want to make peace, they must negotiate with the Afghan government and the nation. Khalilzad has returned to Kabul and the government leadership has told him that until the Taliban reach an agreement with the Afghan government, the Taliban will not reach to their goal," Ahmadzai said.