KABUL - The office will only be used to further peace talks and not for any other purpose, it said. Providing a safe place to those Taliban members who participate in the talks and guaranteeing that the Afghan side will not be harmed were the focus of President Karzai's conversations with the emir of Qatar, the High Peace Council (HPC) said Tuesday.
"One of the details of this agreement was that the opposition should use this office only for the peace talks and not any other political purpose," said HPC member Mawlawi Shafiullah Nooristani.
"Another part of the agreement is that those Taliban members who are ready for the peace talks should be granted immunity, and any suspension should be removed," he added.
The emir assured Karzai in their Sunday meeting that the Taliban could trust the Qatari government and they have met the Taliban's representatives, Nooristani added.
Karzai returned to Kabul Sunday night after a two-day visit to Qatar. He met with the High Peace Council on Monday, Nooristani said, where it was agreed that the Taliban office will be opened by the HPC.
"Opening the office was not seen as appropriate for the president, therefore the office will be opened by the High Peace Council," he said.
Afghan foreign ministry also said at a briefing in Kabul Qatar fully supported the process.
"Officials of Qatari government – including the emir of Qatar – support the efforts of the Afghan government. They stated their government's support for this process," said Janan Moosazai, spokesman of Afghan foreign ministry.
The government of Afghanistan has set the conditions for the Taliban office including that it should not be used for obtaining any income and it should carry the group's flag.
National Coalition leader Abdullah Abdullah said he did not believe anything was really achieved by Karzai's visit to Qatar.
"The government can inform the people if there is been a discussion. The government's reaction towards this matter is one that keeps the truth away from people's eyes, and even sometimes it provides false information to the people which is distressing and ambiguous," he said. "I think there has been no achievement from the visit to Qatar."
The Taliban office in Qatar is seen as a key step in bringing the insurgent group into negotiations for a peace deal with the Afghan government., although the plan has its critics who doubt the Doha office will make any difference.
The presidential office has not responded to TOLOnews' requests for comment on Karzai's Qatar trip. (Tolo News)