By Said Sabir Ibrahimi

In 2016, Russian Federation initiated a serial of meetings with countries neighboring Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan known equally the Moscow Process. In the kickoff meeting, Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan was non fifty-fifty invited – solely Russia, China, in addition to Islamic Republic of Pakistan attended the meeting. In 2017, Afghanistan, India, in addition to several Central Asian countries were added. The U.S.A. did non attend whatever of the meetings in addition to perceived them as an overlapping endeavour that lacked clarity. In 2018, a 3rd multilateral dialogue was planned to which the Taliban were invited. The Afghan authorities declined to attend on the grounds that the Taliban were invited to the coming together equally an equal peer, in addition to the Taliban on the other manus refused to engage inwards straight talks with the Afghan government. For Kabul, the motility undermined the legitimacy of its ain initiative, the U.S.-backed Kabul Process. The dialogue was ultimately postponed, in addition to may or may non accept house inwards the futurity equally sides receive got non been able to grip on the purpose in addition to the content of the meeting.
Moscow’s contact with the Taliban is non novel in addition to at that spot receive got been Source Link

Moscow’s primary concerns inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan are linked to the expansion of the Islamic State’s regional iteration, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), in addition to the period of time of narcotics northward. These are legitimate concerns. Russian Federation has said its contact with the Taliban is for the security of its citizens acquaint inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan in addition to to cease the Afghan conflict. However, Russian Federation does non receive got a sizable footprint inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan to protect, in addition to its appointment with the Taliban has had no behave on on the degree of violence inwards the country. Moscow has rejected theidea that it is using the Taliban to struggle ISKP. The Afghan Taliban has a narrow national focus on reinstating a puritan organisation inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan whereas the Islamic State is considered a transnational threat with a continental agenda.
Kabul insists that the Afghan reconciliation procedure must move “Afghan-led in addition to Afghan-owned,” but has shown flexibility. Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan has cautiously welcomed efforts that may aid initiate a genuine peace procedure involving the Taliban. In piece of cake 2012, the group met with a number of Afghan factions, representatives of the authorities in addition to international observers inwards Chantilly, in addition to inwards later years in Oslo in addition to several other venues, including the around anticipated semi-direct talks inwards Murree, Pakistan, inwards 2015. In Feb 2018, when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a roadmap for peace, including a bold offering to recognize the Taliban equally a political political party inwards render for peace, farther political dialogues were held inwards Mecca, Tashkent, Jakarta, in addition to elsewhere. These efforts display Afghanistan’s realization of the importance of creating an international consensus on peacemaking inwards the province in addition to bringing the Taliban into the political fold. However, parallel processes that seek dissimilar outcomes for short-term gains tin move counterproductive.
The United States, too, is non necessarily against regional cooperation inwards Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of State has appointed ambassador Source Link

As for U.S.-Russia talks on Afghanistan, at that spot hasn’t been a breakthrough. The U.S.A. has avoided the Moscow Process in addition to emphasized alternatives, such equally the Kabul Process. Russia, on the other hand, has insisted on the usefulness of its ain process. At a fourth dimension when U.S.-Russia relations are soured inwards several areas including disagreements on Syria, Ukraine, in addition to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan may move i of the few areas where the 2 countries could cooperate.
Russia’s overarching security interests, mainly transnational terrorism in addition to drug trafficking, align with Afghan in addition to American objectives. Moscow’s efforts tin move useful when they are good defined in addition to are held inwards unison with efforts past times Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan in addition to the United States, equally 2 major parties to the conflict. Engaging with the Taliban for humanitarian causes in addition to the initiating of a peace procedure is inevitable. Nonetheless, contacts that tin embolden in addition to disincentive the grouping to come upwards the negotiating tables goes against the stabilization needs of Afghanistan. Russia’s peacemaking efforts must run into Afghanistan’s needs, which include initiating negotiations, achieving a political solution, in addition to ultimately peace, in addition to thus maintaining that peace. This entails encouraging the Taliban to the negotiating tabular array without undermining the Afghan government. Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan tin solely attain in addition to keep peace when the Afghan province is capable of governing, accountable to its citizens in addition to acts equally a responsible fellow member of the international community. Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan cannot move stabilized when actors rely on non-state actors to secure their perceived national interests.
Said Sabir Ibrahimi is a Research Associate for Afghanistan-Pakistan Regional Project at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. Opinions expressed inwards this essay are personal. Follow at @Saberibrahimi
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi: