Negotiators from the Afghan government and Taliban were still working out to agree to rules and procedures, said a top negotiator of the government, Nader Nadery, and the agenda for how to negotiate and what issues should be covered was yet to be agreed to.
Both parties insisted talks should begin without a neutral third-party mediator, said Mr. Nadery, with only Afghans at the negotiating table. The agenda of peace talks on issues to be covered and how to be negotiated will be discussed and agreed to after both sides come to an agreement on the rules and procedures, he continued.
The government senior negotiating member Nadery earlier in a Twitter thread said that the Afghan government and Taliban negotiators held their first direct meeting on Tuesday and agreed upon “major parts of rules and procedures”.
“Heads of delegations reiterated the need for patience and tolerance,” according to negotiating officials from both sides, “both sides of the meeting appointed two persons as liaison and contact channel.”
After long delays, the opening talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban began in Doha, capital of Qatar, on Saturday, September 12.
These long-awaited talks aimed at ending nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan were scheduled to begin on March 10, but were repeatedly delayed over due to the disagreements over the controversial prisoner swap process.
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