AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Taliban political representatives, Afghan government officials, politicians, women and civil society activists, who wrapped up their two-day intra-Afghan conference in Doha late Monday, agreed on a roadmap for peace and underscored the need to “minimize civilian casualties to Zero.”
“Civilians should not be affected, war continues, but our aim is to reduce civilian casualties,” read the joint resolution passed at the end of the Intra-Afghan Peace Conference.
The joint statement pledged to “guarantee the security of public institutions like schools, religious madrassas, hospitals, markets, water dams and other working locations.”
Although, not binding in nature, the statement further urged the stakeholders to take confidence-building measures, including “unconditional release of elderly, disabled and ill inmates,” ahead of the direct negotiations.
Doha conference, which was jointly hosted by Qatar and Germany, witnessed the attendance of Afghan government representatives for the first time but the three officials spoke in their personal capacity.
“The parties in the conflict shall avoid threats, vengeance and provocative words, shall use soft terminologies and words during their official gatherings, and shall not fuel conflict and revenge,” the statement said.
The call to end civilian casualties came days after Taliban deadly attacks in Ghazni and Kabul also killed and injured dozens of civilians, including school children.
The participants stressed continuation of dialogue and said they have “full consensus that achieving sustainable, far-reaching and a dignified peace, which is the demand of the Afghan people, is the only possible through Afghan inclusive negotiations.”
The conference announced full support for peace negotiations currently underway between the Taliban and the US in Qatar to find out a political solution to the conflict.
“The Doha peace conference participants strongly supports the current peace talks in Doha and believe that an effective and positive outcome from the negotiations will be fruitful for Afghanistan,” the resolution further said.
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source : Arab News
Tuesday
9 July 2019
12:20:50 PM
959305
The Taliban political representatives, Afghan government officials, politicians, women and civil society activists, who wrapped up their two-day intra-Afghan conference in Doha late Monday, agreed on a roadmap for peace and underscored the need to “minimize civilian casualties to Zero.”