Moscow Conference on Afghanistan sans Afghan govt kicks off; US, Taliban in Moscow; an in depth analyses by Hassan Khan

 Hasan Khan

Almost all important nations particularly those having certain stakes in the prolonged conflict of Afghanistan are gathered in the Russian Capital Moscow today (Friday) pondering over finding means for peaceful solution of Afghan war.

Paradoxically, the only party that is missing from the moot –nomenclature as Moscow Conference on Afghanistan – is the Kabul regime.

Why the Afghan government refused to officially participate in the conference is a major question that is agitating minds of the observers of the prolonged Afghan wars.

Some say Dr Ashraf Ghani’s regime might be shy of facing members of Afghan Taliban armed militia who are in Moscow to participate in the parlays. Or the decision is taken to let the US - which has agreed to be among participants- delegates rub their shoulders with the Militia’s members as part of strengthening Zalmi Khalilzad fresh initiatives.

However, Afghan government is believed to have refused to accept the invitation on the grounds that the Russian government did not agree to the Kabul demand of co-chairing the moot with Afghan government.

Talking about difference between the peace efforts initiated by US and the ones spearheaded by Moscow; Afghan president Ghani said; “The efforts of ambassador Khalilzad are supportive. The distinction is that the US always talked, but not negotiated. That principle has been reiterated and reaffirmed.”

While indirectly criticizing the Moscow initiatives, Ghani said; “The model of cooperation regionally is what happened in Uzbekistan, where the conference is jointly co-chaired and we move forward on that basis.”

Uzbekistan along with Afghanistan organized international conference of 20 nations and international organizations wherein Russia and US were participants among other nations; however, then Taliban militia refused to participate and turned down the invitation to attend the meeting.

This is the first time the Taliban militia agreed to attend a Russian-organized conference on Afghanistan. The move, no doubt, underscore Moscow’s growing contacts with the Afghan insurgents group and active involvement of Russia in the conflict-hit Afghanistan.

The conference, which was earlier scheduled in September this year was postponed on the request of Afghan government following objections over participation of Taliban members. In August, Afghan government announced that Afghanistan and Russia would co-chair the proposed future talks in Moscow on Afghanistan’s peace.

On the other hands reports say the Russians did not agree to the Afghan proposal of holding the moot jointly. As many observers believed in that case – co chairing with Afghan government - Taliban would have raised objection and might had refused to participate.

No doubts, reservations of Afghan regime seem to be genuine and according to the commitments of international community that any event regarding Afghanistan anywhere will be led by the Afghan government, however participation would have provided a good opportunity for face to face interactions with the insurgents’ leaders.

 The US – another major stakeholder – was also having such strong objections over this Russian peace project on Afghanistan, however, unlike the Afghan government, Washington agreed to participate.

United States said the decision of participation in Moscow conference had been taken in close coordination with Afghan government.

“The United States believes that all countries should support direct dialogue between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to reach an end to the war and we have been clear that no government, including Russia, can be a substitute for the Afghan government in direct negotiations with the Taliban;” said a statement of the US state department spokesperson, while announcing the decision.

As delegates from around twelve nations started gathering in Moscow on Friday, leading Afghan political leaders gathered a day ahead at Afghanistan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) in Kabul and criticized Ghani administration for not being serious in bringing peace to the war torn country.

Prominent Afghan political figures which also include former government officials labelled the Kabul incumbent regime as inefficient and unable to ‘achieve any breakthrough in the peace process’ saying government has done nothing towards restoring peace in the country.

Leading political personalities which include former minister of interior Mohammad Omar Daudzai, former national security advisor Rangeen Dadfar Spanta and chairman of National Agenda Ahmad Wali Massoud, expressed displeasure over Russian government move to organize Moscow Conference without agreeing to Afghan government request to share the presidium.

Referring to the Moscow moot on Afghanistan, Afghan leaders reminded the international community of its pledge to support only an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

They said though Moscow’s peace meeting is a clear violation of this commitment, however, the interactions are vital for starting confidence-building measures between the warring factions to end the war.

They accused Afghan president Dr Ashraf Ghani for manipulating the peace process for prolonging his power. 

Though lots of hype has been created about Taliban participation, however, this is not the first time that militia are engaging with the power brokers of Afghanistan. The insurgents have already held a number of rounds of direct talks with the United States recently.

Prior agreeing to send delegates to Moscow, the militia spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid is reported to have said; Moscow gathering does not mean to get engage in any Afghan peace and reconciliation talks.

“Taliban political envoys will attend the meeting but the participation does not mean they will hold talks with anyone. This is a meeting to debate the current situation in Afghanistan.” 

“This conference is not about negotiating with any particular side, rather it is a conference about holding comprehensive discussions on finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary and ending the American occupation,” Mujahid said.

Moscow has invited 12 nations and leading and the Taliban militia members to the meeting along with leading experts on Afghanistan. Afghan government have turned down the invitation; saying the Afghan government officials will not be in attendance, however, Afghan High Peace Council (HPC) will send a delegation to Russian capital.

The High Peace Council which comprises leading politicians, jihadi commanders, religious leaders and elders and tasked to oversee the peace efforts with armed Taliban and other groups- is participating in the conference as independent group nor as government representatives.

A four members delegation of the PHC led by the council deputy head Haji Din Muhammad and also include a lady member has already left for Moscow. Reports said that the Taliban members had refused to separately hold direct talks the HPC members on the sidelines reiterating their old stance of terming them as “American stooges”.

Russia has also invited some of Afghanistan’s mainstream politicians to the summit and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and head of the Jamiat-e-Islami party, Attar Mohammad Noor, are participating in the conference.

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