Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Taliban Name Cleric as Chief Negotiator for Afghan Peace Talks

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - Afghanistan's warring factions are set to begin their first
   direct peace talks early next week in Qatar amid U.S.-led international
   calls for them to seize the "historic opportunity" to end the country's
   long war.

   The U.S.-brokered dialogue, known as intra-Afghan negotiations, will
   bring to the table in Doha representatives of the Afghan state and the
   Taliban insurgency, which runs its political office in the capital of
   the Gulf nation.

   The Taliban announced on Saturday the names of their 21-member
   negotiating team, led by Mawlavi Abdul Hakim, a hardline insurgent
   cleric and a close confidant of the Taliban's reclusive chief,
   Hibatullah Akhundzada. Hakim has been heading the Islamist group's own
   judicial system enforced in Taliban-held Afghan areas.

   "We have formed a strong and inclusive team for intra-Afghan
   negotiations. It mostly comprises members of the Rehbari Shoura
   [Taliban leadership council], and the Islamic Emirate's [Taliban] chief
   justice has been appointed as the team leader," Taliban spokesman
   Zabihullah Mujahid told VOA.

   Officials said the negotiating teams would try to agree on a permanent
   cease-fire and a political power-sharing arrangement to govern
   Afghanistan.

   The peace process stems from a February agreement Washington sealed
   with the Taliban to extricate American troops from the country and
   close the longest U.S. war. The landmark accord was negotiated and
   signed in Doha on February 29.

   Afghan Minister of Economy Mustafa Mastoor told an online forum
   Saturday evening that Kabul's negotiating team was "fully ready" to
   depart to Doha "most probably tomorrow [Sunday]."

   Cease-fire

   An insurgent cease-fire is a priority for Kabul, but it may not come up
   in the inaugural interaction with the Taliban, the minister told the
   forum organized by the Pakistan-based Jinnah Institute think tank.

   "The first meeting definitely is to break the ice and just to meet each
   other and then start with the easier issues and going towards the
   difficult ones," Mastoor said.

.