Second round of Afghan peace talks conclude in Maldives

MALE, May 22, 2010 (HNS) – Representatives of the Afghan government and insurgent groups have concluded a second round of peace talks in Maldives’ Paradise Island Resort & Spa.

“The delegation included around 40 people. All of them have left this morning,” an official of the resort told Haveeru.

Al Jazeera news agency cited an unidentified Maldives official as saying that the “unofficial” meeting took place Thursday-Friday and involved around 25 Afghan “opposition representatives.”

The organisers were reported as saying that western officials and international observers had been deliberately excluded from the process as “these are Afghan problems that need Afghan solutions.”

The United States State Department said it was aware of the “neither good nor bad” Maldives talks but indicated no involvement.

“We continue to support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect human rights of their fellow citizens,” P.J. Crowley, the US state department spokesman, said.

“We are not saying they are a good thing or a bad thing. The real question is what comes out of this?”

The talks were organised by Jarir Hekmatyar, the son-in-law of Gulbadin Hakmatyar, an Afghan warlord and leader of the Hezb-e-Islami Party, Aljazeera reported.

According to Al Jazeera, Gulbadin is one of Afghanistan’s most wanted men and has sent his son, Feroz, to represent him at the meeting.

The President’s Office claimed that Afghanistan’s stability affects the peace and security of the region and “Maldives government supports efforts to bring a resolution to the conflict in Afghanistan.”

In January Al Jazeera revealed that a secret meeting between government and Taliban officials had taken place in Maldives on January 23-34 as part of an effort to engage the Taliban in the political process.

Maldives government’s support to the latest round of Afghan peace talks has sparked public controversy with many raising “national security” concerns and criticising the government for lack of transparency until the last minute – sentiments being echoed over plans to take Guantanamo Bay prisoners.

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