WASHINGTON - The Taliban do not pose a threat to the United States, a former American diplomat on Tuesday pushed for reconciliation with the movement to bring lasting peace and stability to Afghanistan.
The conflict had been prolonged and exasperated by outsiders, Pakistan in particular, alleged Richard Olson, who also served special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Obama administration.
Despite heavy US pressure, Pakistan had never abandoned its policy, he told a Washington audience. “I am convinced they will never abandon the Taliban,” he said and attributed this to Pakistan’s perceived existential threat from India.
Olson suggested as a first step, a Taliban office be opened in Doha to let them return to the peace process. The US did need to accept that Taliban were a party to the conflict, he stressed, asking the Trump administration for “the phased withdrawal” of troops from Afghanistan.
However, he insisted there should be no change in the traditional redlines determined by the US for a peace process, including adherence to the constitution and abandoning Al Qaeda. He called for including Iran and India including the regional peace process. Pakistan, he asserted, was the pivotal player in any peace process.
Taliban would negotiate only if they believed that they could not get what they wanted by fighting, he argued, urging the international community to ensure the strengthening of the Afghan government and its defence forces.
“Without doubt negotiations would be difficult,” Olson said, noting that one should be prepared to walk out if talks did not proceed along the expected lines. (Pajhwok)