ISLAMABAD: Qatar’s ambassador to Pakistan Saqr Bin Mubarak Al Mansouri has said that the Taliban’s political office in Doha serves as a platform for talks between the Afghan government and the insurgent group. Comments by the ambassador, who is also the country’s ambassador “non-resident” to Afghanistan, come amid new diplomatic efforts to encourage the Taliban to join the political negotiations. The visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan by Chinese special representatives for Afghanistan Deng Xijun over the past few days is also seen as part of these efforts. The role of the Qatar office is important to facilitate peace talks with Afghanistan and the United States (US) as the Taliban leadership has empowered political envoys based in the oil-rich Gulf state for peace negotiations. “The State of Qatar supports peace efforts of Afghanistan and it is keen on bringing back stability and security to Afghanistan, assuring that the office of Taliban in Doha is a platform for dialogue between the parties concerned,” ambassador Saqr told Daily Times on Sunday. Regarding Qatar’s assistance to Afghanistan, Ambassador Saqr said that his country was a supporter of the Special Fund for the Assistance of the Afghan People and was among the participants of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA). The Ambassador noted that Qatar sought to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan, adding that Qatar Red Crescent was supporting health projects as well as shelter and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. Discussions are underway between the two sides to faciliate labour migration, while the Qatar Airlines plans to start direct flights between Doha and Kabul soon in a bid to push trade cooperation. The Ambassador also pointed out contributions made by Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani to support some developmental and charitable projects in Afghanistan. In December last year, he said, a US $ 50 million social housing project was launched in addition to the construction of an annex and a mosque in the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With regard to the Gulf crisis, the Ambassador said that the State of Qatar had succeeded in building cooperation with several countries and launched a number of large projects such as the port of Hamad, while a new maritime lines was under development. “Qatar is also signing more agreements for LNG exports. More than 30 international companies have opened their offices in Doha during last year,” he said. “However, the blockade has had its effects on the social relations between the peoples of the Gulf states,” he said, stressing that the State of Qatar still believes that the solution is through dialogue without preconditions or dictates and with respect for the sovereignty of all states,” the ambassador went on to say. Taliban were allowed to open the office in 2013 for political negotiations with the Kabul administration. However, then President Hamid Karzai’s criticism at the display of a white Taliban flag at the office and references to the group as “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” led to its closure. Despite the closure of the office, the Taliban political representatives remained stationed in Qatar for contacts with the international community. Taliban founder Mullah Omar had himself chosen Qatar as a destination for the insurgent group’s political office because of its impartial role in the Afghan conflict, according to Taliban officials. Taliban confirmed in January this year that a five-member delegation of top negotiators had visited Pakistan to discuss Islamabad’s proposals for peace negotiations. Taliban representatives routinely travel to other countries as part of political efforts and have paid visits to China, Russia, Iran, Japan, Germany, Indonesia and some other European countries. The Qatar office had facilitated the swap of lone American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, for five Taliban detainees who were released from Guantanamo Bay prison and flown to Qatar in May 2014. The Afghan government issued passports to the freed Taliban leaders and an official from the Kabul-sponsored High Peace Council and former Taliban minister Agha Jan Mutasim travelled to Doha last year to deliver the passports, sources had told Daily Times. Published in Daily Times, June 4th 2018.