Political parties and movements said Sunday that President Ashraf Ghani has acted against what he promised leaders of political parties regarding the peace process – and has sidelined their ideas and opinions. 

In turn, High Peace Council (HPC) officials have suggested that government appoints people to the peace negotiation team who are familiar with the Taliban’s “intentions”.  
“Discussions, which were held with the president, were about the creation of a peace advisory board including the establishment of a peace delegation, but the outcome shouldn’t have been this what has come out now,” said Mohammad Natiqi, head of the political committee of the political parties. 

The parties also suggested that the peace talks process must be between the Taliban, government, the political parties and civil society institutions, adding that the Taliban are not prepared to talk with the political leadership. 

“The president of Afghanistan did not listen to the plans of the political parties. If he (Ghani) had listened, we would be in a better position now; the negotiating team should have included those who were recommended by the political parties of Afghanistan,” said Ehsan Nairo, spokesman for the First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum. 

In addition, some former government officials also asked government to include the political parties in the peace process. 

“The political faction which lives under the flag of Afghanistan and accepts the constitution should be mobilized, but mobilization does not mean bringing them to power; it is just to share the agenda for peace and war with them in order to talk with the enemy from a strong position,” said Amrullah Saleh, former head of National Directorate of Security (NDS). 

This comes after President Ashraf Ghani’s government came up with a list of eleven names of Afghans, led by the President’s Chief of Staff Salam Rahimi, as the team of negotiators for peace talks with the Taliban. 

The team includes two cabinet ministers, Minister Mirwais Balkhi of Education and Minister Hassina Safi of Information and Culture, deputy ministers Dr Alema of Refugees and Repatriation, Abdul Tawab Balakarzai of Higher Education and Gen Ebadullah Ebad of NDS; a member of the Supreme Court Abdullah Attai, MP Shahgul Rezaee, Ulema Council member Attaullah Ludin, Paktia Governor Shamin Katawzi and MoFA Director of Cultural Affairs Tooryalai Ghiasi.

But government’s apparent decision has been met with sharp criticism. 

“Peace process must continue, we support the creation of a consultative board, our expectation from government is to hire effective people for this board, those must be appointed who know the accent of the Taliban and could talk to them,” said Mawalvi Noor Padshah, a member of Afghanistan’s Ulema Council. 

“The president said that he would bring peace even if he loses his head for this. But we say that your head must not be gone, but you should use your brain and appoint those who are Afghanistan-oriented people and work for national interests,” said women’s rights activist Fatana Gailani.

Government has said however that the list is still being worked on and that they are finalizing the names.  

Meanwhile reports indicate the US has called on all countries which will attend this week’s Geneva Conference on Afghanistan to reaffirm their commitments to Afghanistan after the peace agreement and to announce the establishment of a working group to improve Afghanistan’s national economic programs and to attract international investment. 

But some countries have said they are concerned about the issue and emphasize that nothing has been said about the disarmament of the Taliban nor about the achievements made over the past seventeen years.