The stalled Afghan peace process is expected to be revived with the "direct" meeting of Afghan government and Taliban representatives as early as next week, an international group seeking to relaunch the troubled dialogue announced today.
No specific date was reached for the second round of the talks during the fourth meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China on the Afghan peace and reconciliation that was held in Kabul.
"The QCG member states invite all Taliban and other groups to participate through their authorised representatives in the next round of direct peace talks with the Afghan government expected to take place by the first week of March," according to a statement issued after the meeting in the Afghan capital.
The delegations during the meeting, in which Taliban representatives have not participated, were led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and US Charge d'Affaires David Lindwall.
It said that Pakistan offered to again host this round of talks in Islamabad.
The historic first round of direct talks with the Taliban took place in the Pakistani resort town of Muree last July to find a solution to the 13-year-old insurgency but hit a roadblock after the announcement of the militant leader Mullah Omar's death, which had been kept secret for two years.
The group also reviewed progress in the implementation of the roadmap for the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.
"Towards this end and also in line with the desire and support of the QCG member countries for lasting peace in Afghanistan, the QCG endorsed and expressed strong support for the upcoming direct talks between the Government of Afghanistan and authorised representatives of the Taliban and other groups," it said.
The QCG also welcomed the decision by Afghanistan and Pakistan to constitute a bilateral joint working group to work with their Ulema for support of the peace and reconciliation process, including through Fatwas against the ongoing senseless violence.
The next meeting of the QCG, that was set up in March, will take place in Islamabad immediately after the direct peace talks.
