Consultative Meeting of the Negotiation Team with Representatives of Civil Society and Human Rights Organizations

A consultative meeting was held between the members of the negotiation team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and representatives of civil society organizations, human rights defenders of war victims, and immigration organizations with the participation of the Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Civil Society Organizations of the State Ministry for Peace.
The meeting was attended by Mohammad Nateqi, Sharifa Zurmati Wardak and Khalid Noor, members of the negotiation team. At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Alema, Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Civil Society Organizations of the State Ministry for Peace, said that the purpose of this meeting is to note the comments, suggestions and questions of the participants.
Mohammad Nateqi, member of the negotiation team, briefed the meeting about the first round of the Afghanistan peace negotiations.
He referred to the discussions on the procedure of the negotiations and said that both sides have committed to restoring sustainable peace in the country.
Mr. Nateqi also said that work on the agenda has also begun, and the suggested points by both sides for the agenda, include both commonalities and differences; therefore, there is need to enter into the discussion on the agenda.
Ms. Sharifa Zurmati Wardak said that the peace negotiation is a national process which should not be harmed; and the negotiation team therefore proceeds with patience.
Ms. Zurmati Wardak, while stating that the negotiation team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and national interests, said that on our part, the ceasefire will be at the top of the agenda.
She added that in order to establish mechanisms and enrich the negotiation process, the negotiation team needs to receive advice and views of various segments of the society.
The participants then shared their views, suggestions, concerns and questions with the negotiation team. They said that the people expect the negotiation team to defend their rights and values.
The participants further asked the negotiation team to consider the views and suggestions of the people during the peace negotiations. They also stressed a strong position of the negotiation team for declaring a ceasefire in the second round of the negotiations.
They called for a group of experts and consultants to provide advice to the negotiation team on specific and specialized issues during the negotiations.
Preserving the achievements, setting up an academic committee to advise the negotiation team, paying attention to good governance, forming a mediation team, changing the structure of the negotiations and paying attention to the rights of war victims, were also among the issues discussed by the participants.
Mr. Khalid Noor said, there is need to have a team of experts to share consultations with the negotiation team at both the negotiation venue and the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR).
Mr. Noor, while expressing that the team is trying to attain immediate ceasefire, asked the participants to realistically express their expectations regarding the peace negotiations, especially the ceasefire.
Mr. Noor further stated that the negotiation team is fully independent and defends the system on behalf of the Afghan people.
Ms. Sharifa Zurmati Wardak also spoke about the role of women in the negotiation team and said that the active presence of women in the negotiation team has led to the introduction of Afghan women to the Taliban as well as the international community.
Emphasizing the unity and cohesion among the negotiation team members, Mohammad Nateqi said that the team enters the discussions from a unified position of the existing system.
Concluding the meeting, Dr. Alema, Deputy Minister of Human Rights and Civil Society Institutions of the State Ministry for Peace, asked the participants to share their plans with the State Ministry so that they could be presented to the negotiation team.