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dpa
Washington
Afghan politicians reacted angrily on Monday to the tone of a letter sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the government in Kabul that made suggestions about accelerating the peace process, including by convening a UN-facilitated conference.
Blinken made the suggestions in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani seen by Afghanistan’s TOLOnews. The New York Times also reported on the letter, citing US and Afghan officials who confirmed its existence.
Blinken reportedly made proposals to facilitate discussion between the two sides to form a negotiated settlement and ceasefire, and suggested a meeting in Turkey between both sides to finalize a peace agreement and a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence.
According to both reports, Blinken wrote that the US had not decided whether to withdraw the remaining 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan by May 1, as outlined in its agreement with the Taliban.
He expressed concern that “the security situation will worsen and that the Taliban could make rapid territorial gains” following a US withdrawal.
Blinken requested Ghani’s “urgent leadership” in the letter, which the New York Times characterized as “unusually blunt.” The State Department declined to comment on the letter but said in a statement to the New York Times that “all options remain on the table” regarding US troop withdrawal.
Responding to Blinken’s letter, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh said Washington can decide on the fate of only the remaining US forces in Afghanistan, and not on the fate of 35 million Afghans.
“We do feel the need for peace, but not a dictated peace,” Saleh said angrily. “We will not accept surrender.”
A senior advisor to Ghani, Mohammad Mohaqiq, said the US letter dictates urgency because of Washington’s willingness to leave the country, while parliament member Arif Rahmani went further and wrote on Twitter that it was an “order and a threatening letter.”
The US signed a peace deal with the Taliban militant group in February last year.
According to the agreement, all international forces would gradually leave Afghanistan by May 1, 2021.
In return, the Taliban committed to renounce violence and enter into peace talks with the Afghan government.
The intra-Afghan talks started in mid-September, but there has been no tangible progress yet.
Washington
Afghan politicians reacted angrily on Monday to the tone of a letter sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the government in Kabul that made suggestions about accelerating the peace process, including by convening a UN-facilitated conference.
Blinken made the suggestions in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani seen by Afghanistan’s TOLOnews. The New York Times also reported on the letter, citing US and Afghan officials who confirmed its existence.
Blinken reportedly made proposals to facilitate discussion between the two sides to form a negotiated settlement and ceasefire, and suggested a meeting in Turkey between both sides to finalize a peace agreement and a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence.
According to both reports, Blinken wrote that the US had not decided whether to withdraw the remaining 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan by May 1, as outlined in its agreement with the Taliban.
He expressed concern that “the security situation will worsen and that the Taliban could make rapid territorial gains” following a US withdrawal.
Blinken requested Ghani’s “urgent leadership” in the letter, which the New York Times characterized as “unusually blunt.” The State Department declined to comment on the letter but said in a statement to the New York Times that “all options remain on the table” regarding US troop withdrawal.
Responding to Blinken’s letter, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh said Washington can decide on the fate of only the remaining US forces in Afghanistan, and not on the fate of 35 million Afghans.
“We do feel the need for peace, but not a dictated peace,” Saleh said angrily. “We will not accept surrender.”
A senior advisor to Ghani, Mohammad Mohaqiq, said the US letter dictates urgency because of Washington’s willingness to leave the country, while parliament member Arif Rahmani went further and wrote on Twitter that it was an “order and a threatening letter.”
The US signed a peace deal with the Taliban militant group in February last year.
According to the agreement, all international forces would gradually leave Afghanistan by May 1, 2021.
In return, the Taliban committed to renounce violence and enter into peace talks with the Afghan government.
The intra-Afghan talks started in mid-September, but there has been no tangible progress yet.
