Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivers his speech during the United Nations Conference on Afghanistan on November 28, 2018 at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland. Fabrice COFFRINI/Pool via REUTERS
Reuters: Afghan president forms team to talk peace, sees five-year timeline
GENEVA (Reuters) - Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has formed a 12-strong team to negotiate peace with the Taliban, but implementation of any deal will take at least five years, he said on Wednesday.
Ghani was speaking at a U.N. conference on the 17-year-old war between Afghan security forces and an increasingly confident Taliban, which is fighting to drive out international forces and establish their version of strict Islamic law.
The Taliban are not at the Geneva talks but will be closely monitoring the gathering of Afghan leaders and international diplomats, which coincides with efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to push for peace with the group.
“We seek a peace agreement in which the Afghan Taliban would be included in a democratic and inclusive society,” Ghani said, adding that any deal must fulfil certain conditions, including respecting the constitutional rights of women.
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Update #1: Afghan president names team for Taliban peace talks (AFP)
Update #2: Afghan president announces team to hold peace talks with Taliban (Al Jazeera)
WNU Editor:The Taliban believe they are winning. They are not going to show up to meet this Afghan delegation. The Taliban are focused on having talks with the U.S., and a withdrawal of foreign forces.
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