Saudi Wahabbist to broker Afghan peace talks with Taliban Partners in Afghanistan

Saudi Arabia to broker Afghan peace talks with Taliban
By Sayed Jawad – 29 October, 2012 – KHAAMA Press

Afghan High Peace Council welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to support Afghan reconciliation process with the Taliban group.

International Relations Advisor for the Afghan High Peace Council said they are expecting the decision by Saudi Arabia will have positive impact over Afghan peace process.

Afghan peace efforts has been one of the major agendas of the Afghan government during the past two years however there has been no major achievements in peace talks so far but the positive response by Saudi Arabia this time has led to optimisms by Afghan peace officials.

Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar International Relations Advisor for the Afghan High Peace Council said he was expecting that the decision by Saudi Arabia will have a positive impact over Afghan peace talks.

He said, “We welcome the commitments by Saudi Arabia and hope that Saudi’s cooperation will led to a sucess and we are hoping to see practical steps by Saudi for their commitments towards Afghan peace talks.”

Afghan High Peace Council officials also said the decision by Saudi Arabia and the speech by the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia who called suicide bombing illegal has direct links with the Afghan reconciliation.

Saudi Arabia has earlier supported Afghan peace talks with the Taliban group however no practical was taken in this regard and therefore Saudi’s commitment to broker Afghan peace talks until a positive result is obtained remains a question.

An Afghan political observer Nasrullah Stanekzai said, “Saudi Arabia is in a situation to support the Afghan peace talks not only because of the moral stance of Saudi in this regard but also they should consider the post 2014 situation in Afghanistan which will threaten the national security of Saudi Arabia if if necessary steps have not been taken to eliminate insurgency in South Asia.”

However a number of other Afghan political observers believe that Taliban consider Saudi Arabia as best option to broker Afghan peaec talks. …more