The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomes the positive start made by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) in its work on the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.
“UNAMA notes the recognition by all QCG participants at the meeting held yesterday in Islamabad of the immediate need for direct talks between representatives of the Government of Afghanistan and representatives from Taliban groups,” a statement by the UN mission in Afghanistan said.
“This renewed commitment to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process is of real importance,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA.
Haysom further added “We hope all parties will use this opportunity to engage in this process to bring an end to the terrible conflict in Afghanistan.”
“UNAMA supports all efforts to establish a peace process and will continue to offer its good offices in any facilitative role, while respecting that any peace process must be Afghan-owned and led,” the statement added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan (MoFA) announced Monday that the quadrilateral meeting on Afghan peace process concluded in Islamabad with the participants of the meeting emphasizing on the importance of bringing an end to the conflict in Afghanistan that continues to inflict senseless violence on the Afghan people and also breeds insecurity throughout the region.
The meeting participants including representative from Afghanistan, Pakistan, United States and China, also emphasized on the immediate need for direct talks between representatives of the Government of Afghanistan and representatives from Taliban groups in a peace process that aims to preserve Afghanistan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The next round of the quadrilateral meeting on Afghan peace process will be held in capital Kabul on 18th January.
