Daily Times

Afghan Taliban on Sunday denounced US President Donald Trump’s unilateral cancellation of peace talks and said the US will suffer more than others.

Taliban remarks came hours after Trump’s said he called off a secret meeting and negotiations with the Taliban because of continuation of attacks.

Trump surprised many just days after American special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad announced on Twitter that the US and the Taliban are at the “threshold of an agreement” that will reduce violence and open the door for Afghans to sit together to negotiate an honourable and sustainable peace and a unified, sovereign Afghanistan that does not threaten the United States, its allies, or any other country”.

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen had issued a similar statement at the conclusion of the ninth round of talks in August and the Taliban, Khalilzad and the Qatari foreign minister were involved in talks over the past few days to make arrangements for the formal announcement of the deal.

“We had useful negotiations with the American team and the peace deal was finalised. The US negotiation team was satisfied with progress in talks until Saturday and we wrapped up talks in a cordial atmosphere and were preparing for the formal announcement and signing of it September 23 was set for the 1st day of intra-Afghan dialogue,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

He said the regional, other countries and international organisations had backed the process, and since President Trump stopped peace talks, “it will mainly harm the US than anyone as the move will tarnish its reputation and expose its anti-peace approach”.

The Taliban spokesman rejected the notion of the US president for citing a recent attack in Kabul to stop the whole peace process, adding that calling off peace talks in response to an attack showcases lack of patience and experience. He said the US and its backers in Kabul have also continued operations that killed many Afghans.

Talking about Trump’s remarks that he has cancelled a secret meeting with the Taliban at Camp David, Mujahid said Zalmay Khalilzad had extended invitation at the end of August and the Taliban delayed the visit until the announcement of the peace deal.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted on Sunday that the negotiation teams of the Taliban and the US handed over a final draft of the peace agreement to Qatar days ago.

“All sides were agreed that Qatar will announce it. Trump’s tweets on such an occasion are astonishing, who has damaged his reputation,” he said.

President Donald tweeted early Sunday that he has cancelled a secret meeting with the Taliban at Camp David and also called off peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar, citing a recent Taliban attack in capital Kabul.

“Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday. They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people. I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations,” Trump tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government in its reaction to Trump’s decision blamed the Taliban for continuation of war but said the people and the government of Afghanistan pursue a dignified and sustainable peace and are committed to putting any effort into ensuring peace in the country.

“However, the government considers the Taliban’s obstinacy to increase violence against Afghans as the main obstacle to the ongoing peace negotiations. We have consistently stressed that genuine peace is possible when the Taliban stop the killing of Afghans, embrace an inclusive ceasefire, and enter into direct negotiations with the Afghan government,” a statement from President Ghani’s palace said.

The palace said in a statement that the government of Afghanistan as the “main initiator, advocate and executer of peace process, respects the decision emanated from the consultative Loya Jirga on Peace and is responsible to follow its mandate with the Afghans playing the central role, and the government owning and leading the process.”

The statement praised the earnest efforts of its allies and is commitment to working together with the United States and other partners to ensure honourable and enduring peace in the country.

“The government of Afghanistan reiterates its stance on holding the presidential elections on September 28 to make sure the establishment of a legitimate government through the ballot box and to move forward the ongoing peace process with full wisdom and precision,” the statement said.

Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, in reaction to cancellation of the Taliban-US talks, said it should not affect the intra-Afghan negotiations. In a statement, Karzai called for intensification of the intra-Afghan process as “peace is a priority for Afghans”.