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Hillary Clinton Urges Inclusive Peace Process for Afghanistan

Margaret Besheer

   UNITED NATIONS - Hillary Clinton said Tuesday a sustainable peace will
   take hold in Afghanistan only if it is inclusive, and that foreign
   troop withdrawals must be conditioned on the Taliban meeting their
   obligations under the recently signed peace agreement.

   "Afghans from every walk of life have made it clear they want peace,
   and they want an end to violence and casualties," the former U.S.
   secretary of state told an event at the United Nations promoting the
   inclusion of women in Afghanistan's peace process. "Yet it is difficult
   to have an agreement when you leave out the government of the country
   you are expecting to uphold and live under that agreement."

   She also stressed that certain concessions must not be made to the
   Taliban.

   "From the very beginning, the Taliban said they would not talk to the
   Afghan government, but we must simply not accede to those wishes,
   leaving the Afghan government on the hook," Clinton said.

   The former presidential candidate, top diplomat and women's rights
   advocate was also emphatic that Afghan women must be an integral part
   of any negotiations, warning that if they are sidelined in the process,
   the prospect for lasting peace is slim.

   "It is difficult to sustain an agreement if you leave out half the
   population in forging it," she said.

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