Daily Times

Yet another two day long global conference focusing on peace in Afghanistan was held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, last week, where a draft declaration was adopted calling for an ‘Afghan-led and Afghan-owned’ peace process for the region’s peaceful and prosperous future. This international conference was a follow up to the second Afghan process conference held this year in February in Kabul, where the Afghan President disclosed a plan for creating peace with the Taliban.

The key challenges discussed during this conference were the peace process, collaboration, security and regional connectivity. Leaders from the whole world came together, hoping for a safer and stable Afghanistan.

The gathering was attended by Ministers of Foreign affairs from China, the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They were joined by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. This time around, Uzbekistan took the lead in establishing a giant leap forward in playing its constructive role in regional peace and stability.

The country has already played a significant role in creating a peaceful political settlement between embattled countries from the region. Keeping this in mind, the President of Uzbekistan has taken the initiative of arranging the summit themed ‘Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Connectivity’ which is the part of the Uzbek’s overall strategy to provide regional security and stability. This is one of the largest such gathering that has been organised by the new regime in Tashkent. Afghanistan’s peace process was on the agenda, as well as other issues such as counter-terrorism, drugs and human smuggling.

The Summit was also an effort to encourage peace talks between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban, who have repeatedly rejected dialogue and peace initiatives

The participant of the conference signed the Tashkent Declaration and reaffirmed the previous regional and global peace efforts for Afghanistan. The crisis in Afghanistan and growing insurgency is not only problematic for Afghanistan itself but for the entire region. As a result of rise of the Islamic State (IS), withdrawal of the US troops, emerging complexities in the Middle East region for the US and allies hence the shift of the attention, tensions between Pakistan-India and Afghanistan and growing economic disparities in the region are some of the factors that have moved countries in the region to dialogue. Some analysts have also considered the emerging new Cold War between Russia and the US, which is creating more insecurity in this part of the world.

It was the same city and place where almost six decades ago, in 1966, the two warring nations of the region, Pakistan and India signed an agreement pact to halt the war and continue building peace. This was initiated by the then government of Uzbekistan. The city has symbolic value, and President  Shavkat Mirziyoyev took the initiative to carry forward the legacy of being a torch bearer for regional peace and stability.

This summit is also reflective of Uzbekistan’s regional reengagements plans based on finding permanent solution to neighbouring Afghanistan. Since the inception of his government, President Mirziyoyev has defined the country’s foreign policy of regional constructive, bilateral, beneficial and good neighborly relations with all Central Asian countries and strengthens to contribute towards regional peace and prosperity. A peaceful and economically prosperous region is in the best interests of Uzbekistan, as well as all other countries in the region.

The Summit was also an effort to encourage peace talk between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban, who have repeatedly rejected dialogue and peace initiatives and refuse to negotiate with the Afghan government unless American and other foreign troops leave the country. However, the summit still urged the Kabul government and Taliban to negotiate with each other and implored the Taliban to break any kind of links with other terrorist networks such as Al-Qaeda.

It also demanded that the Taliban respect human rights and accept Afghanistan’s constitution. All the participant countries agree on the need for a political solution to the Afghan problem.  Afghan led and Afghan owned solutions to the challenge are a better way to implement the resolve for peace.

There was a general consensus during the summit that unless the Taliban agree to talk, there can be no political solution. The Tashkent Declaration stresses the need to hold talks between the Kabul government and militants to achieve any sort of peace, but like before, the Taliban refuse to hold negotiations and enter any kind of democratic process.

A peaceful Afghanistan opens a possibility of shortest possible access to warm water for Central Asian states and also connects India, Iran and Pakistan with European and Middle Eastern markets. Consequently, tranquillity in Afghanistan will open new opportunities for the sustainable development of the Central Asian countries in terms of economy and infrastructure.

Extraordinary attention was paid to the instability and insecurity situation in Kabul as well as its socio-economic development. New economic dimensions are opening as a result of the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative which aims to engage countries for mutual benefit and share a destiny of prosperity.

Sadly, it is true that Afghanistan has remained on the verge of collapse for many years. There were many such conferences and dialogues, but practical and substantial initiatives aimed at uplifting the lives of the common Afghan remained lacking. Afghanistan has also become a theatre for other countries’ proxy wars and hence there is a need for the Afghan government to take the lead in resolving its issues on its own.

The writer is Director, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and Secretary General, Pakistan-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Friendship Forum

Published in Daily Times, April 3^rd 2018.