Delegation’s trip from Kabul to Doha is planned but not scheduled

KABUL (Pajhwok): A delegation is expected to travel from Kabul to Doha for peace talks, but consultations are still underway and a date for the team’s departure is yet to be agreed, according to officials in contact with the matter.

Claim:

Khaama Press in a report today, quoting unnamed sources, said that a seven-member team from the government would travel to Qatar in the next few days for negotiations with the Taliban and Qatari officials.

According to the report, the team is comprised of chairman of High Council of National Reconciliation (HCNR), Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai, a member of Jamiat-i-Islami Party YounusQanoni, an advisor to the president Mohammad AkramKhpalwak, head of Wahdat-i-Islami, Mohammad KarimKhalili, state minister in peace affairs, SayedMansor Sadat Naderi and deputy HCNR head, Babar Farahmand.

The source said that the team was expected to travel to Doha today, Saturday, but it was delayed due to lack of agenda for possible talks with the Taliban, and it would depart in the next few days.

Fact checking:

Amin Ahmadi, a member of the government’s negotiating team, said that such a trip was planned, but added he was not aware about the details of the issue as both sides (Taliban and government) change their positions.

FeraidonKhwazon, a spokesman of HCNR, said that consultations were underway on the regard but no decision has so far been taken on the trip to Qatar.

Another credible source from the government said that a six-member government team was expected to travel to Qatar today, but it was delayed.

The source confirmed that except SayedMansoor Sadat Naderi, all other mentioned figures were part of the team but said that the delegation would travel to Qatar once Abdullah who is currently on a trip to Turkey returned and consult with the president on the regard.

The source said that the team would not negotiate with the Taliban but to support the peace process and to send a message to the insurgent group that the government was committed for peace.

The team would be traveling to Qatar on behalf of the government and would ask the Taliban whether they want peace or not, the source added.

However, NajiaAnwari, spokeswoman for State Ministry for Peace Affairs said, “I am not aware about it, the trip is not clear so far.”

YousufSaha, spokesman of Hamid Karzai’s office, also said that there was no such plan.

However, another source from Hamid Karzai’s office said that such a plan was agreed but no date for the trip had been so far defined.

Mohammad Naeem, spokesman of Taliban’s Qatar office, said, “These are media speculations, there is nothing as such.”

Outcome: Some sources say that a delegation from Kabul is expected to travel to Qatar for peace talks, but the trip has to be delayed while the State Ministry for Peace Affairs, the office of Hamid Karzai and Taliban say there is no such decision so far.

Verdict: Reports about the plan for a delegation’s trip from Kabul to Doha is mostly accurate.

Mds/ma

Ahmad Sohaib Hasrat

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