Tuesday, August 09, 2011 – According to former Taliban commanders, Taliban’s absence during the coming Bonn conference would add to violence in the country.
They also believe that, organizing Bonn conference outside Afghanistan means that the country is not sovereign and without an elected government.
Sayed Mohammad Akbar Agha, the former leader of the Taliban Jaish al-Muslimeen group and Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former senior Taliban official said, the conference would be a mistake.
This comes as US Ambassador Ryan Crocker earlier said there would be no chance of the Taliban to participate in the forthcoming Bonn conference which is due in three months.
Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned that he wouldn’t participate in the conference without the Taliban.
Former leader of the Taliban Jaish al-Muslimeen group, Sayed Mohammad Akbar Agha said, “On the one hand the government says it wants to make peace and on the other hand the US excludes the Taliban in the Bonn conference. It means they want to deceive the Taliban.”
He further added, if Afghanistan is an independent country, then why should the conference be held outside the country.
Sayed Mohammad Akbar Agha also said, “Having such kind of conference held outside Afghanistan violates sovereignty of the country.”
In the meantime, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef said, same as first Bonn conference, this time Afghans will also not be represented by real representatives of the nation.
He said, “I think it would be a failed process and it would only cause more deaths and violence. It would have been better if the conference was in Afghanistan under led by Afghans.”
He further added, there are still lots of obstacles preventing the Taliban from participating in the conference.
In regards to Taliban’s participation in Bonn conference he said, the Taliban would not take part in the conference even if they were given a chance.
The second Bonn conference is going to be held in coming December, ten years after the first Bonn conference.
More than 60 representatives from different countries will take part in the conference.
