KABUL - The United Nations asked the Taliban to join peace negotiations with the government, ruling out a military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan,
The only path to meaningful peace was through intra-Afghan dialogue, the UN top diplomat in the country told the Security Council during a debate on the situation in Afghanistan.
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said: “The Taliban leadership must reconsider the notion that their objectives can only be achieved on the battlefield.”
A statement from the UN mission in Kabul quoted Yamamoto as saying: “It takes courage to enter into a peace process. It is not an admission of defeat – it is recognition of reality. An endless war ruins the country and impacts on people.”
He asked all parties to the longstanding conflict to identify common interests, and in particular the Taliban, to engage in direct talks with the government without preconditions.
The diplomat peace agreement with the Hezb-i Islami reflected the government’s willingness to negotiate on key issues, such as prisoner release, lifting of sanctions and integration into the political life of Afghanistan.
“Successful implementation of the agreement should address any remaining doubts, help unite the Afghans, and could pave the way for further peace agreements,” he added.
Looking at the overall situation, despite security challenges and some political volatility, the envoy said he continued to see opportunities and hope in Afghanistan.
Stability in Afghanistan was not the sole interest of the war-torn country, he said, calling on regional countries to play their role as such conditions would benefit them security-wise and economically.
Afghan citizens were returning home in record numbers, including hundreds of thousands of people from both Pakistan and Iran, in the past six months alone, the UN envoy noted.
More than 1.5 million people were “on the move” this year, he said, adding similar numbers of people would necessarily bring with strains and pressure on the economy, on social services and could further swell the number of those seeking employment in 2017.
“Refugees come back to Afghanistan with hopes,” he said, but “a better future is not possible without peace.” In 2016, thousands and thousands of Afghans were killed in the conflict, and tens of thousands more wounded.  (Pajhwok)