News about Peace Talks and Reconciliation in Afghanistan

2019

May 2019. Assessing the Trump Team's Afghanistan Peace Plan, by Michael Rubin, American Enterprise Institute. This 12-page tract is posted on the website of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies.

May 2019. Perspectives on Peace from Taliban Areas of Afghanistan, by Ashley Jackson. This 24-page report was published by the United States Institute of Peace.

2017

March 26, 2017. "Peace in Afghanistan is Possible - The Number One Goal For Us All", Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan.

January 31, 2017. Ready for Peace? The Afghan Taliban after a Decade of War, by Theo Farrell and Michael Semple, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
https://rusi.org/publication/briefing-papers/ready-peace-afghan-taliban-after-decade-war

2016

June 20, 2016. "Afghan Peace Process: A Botched Strategy - OpEd", by Sabah Ishtiaq, Eurasia Review.

April 25, 2016. "No more peace talks with Taliban, Afghanistan's president says", The Los Angeles Times. President Ghani addressed Afghanistan's parliament stating he was ending his failing effort to start peace talks with the Taliban. The peace talks were a centerpiece of his foreign policy since taking office in 2014.

April 25, 2016. "Afghan Taliban Negotiators Arrive in Pakistan for Initial Talks", Voice of America. A three man delegation from Qatar conduct exploratory talks to restart negotiations.

April 6, 2016. "Afghan Peace Talks: Road to Nowhere", by Vinay Kaura, The Diplomat.

March 7, 2016. "Road to Quadrilateral-Backed Peace Talks Uncertain as Taliban Refuse to Participate", The Diplomat.

February 6, 2016. "Joint Press Release: The Third Meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China", Embassy of the United States, Islamabad, Pakistan.

February 5, 2016. "Despite parleys, peace for ordinary Afghans seems so far away", by Chayanika Saxena, South Asia Monitor.

January 21, 2016. "Five Myths to Dispel About an Afghan Peace". By Christopher Kolenda, Gandhara Blog.

January 14, 2016. "The Key to Successful Afghan Peace Talks", SOFREP.

January 2016. "Afghanistan's High Peace Council: Five Years On". Institute for War & Peace Reporting.

January 11, 2016. "Joint Press Release: Quadrilateral Coordination Group Meeting of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States". The Embassy of Afghanistan D.C.

January 11, 2016. "Peace Process Group to Reconvene Next Week", Tolo News. The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) will continue regular meetings to advance the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

January 11, 2016. "Afghanistan's Promise for Regional Connectivity and Peace", by Aziz Amin Ahmadzai, The Diplomat. Ashraf Ghani dreams of 'breakfast in Delhi, lunch in Peshawar, and dinner in Kabul'.

January 11, 2016. "Delegates meet in Islamabad to resurrect Afghanistan peace talks", Deutsche Welle. The Taliban are not participating in the talks at the moment.

January 10, 2016. "The new Taliban leader whose shadow hangs over Afghan peace talks", by Michael E. Miller, The Washington Post. The most important figure in the Afghan peace talks taking place in Islamabad and Kabul is missiong. Akhtar Mohammad Mansour's presence will be felt even when unseen. He is described as a moderate and pragmatist and probably the best Taliban leader to get the group into negotiations.

2015

December 2015. "Afghanistan After America's War". The Heritage Foundation.  Lisa Curtis, a Senior Research Fellow in the Asian Studies Center (Heritage Foundation) examines Pakistan's role in peace talks.

August 26, 2015. "Afghanistan, Choose Your Enemies Wisely", The RAND Blog. The author, Jeff Eggers, states that political accommodation with the Taliban could be a wise move considering the alternative.

August 18, 2015. "Is Peace Possible in Afghanistan?", by Carter Malkasian, Foreign Affairs.

July 20, 2015. "Afghanistan's Peace Process: A Long Road Ahead", The Diplomat. Emily Winterbotham, a research associate at RUSI, writes on the prospects of success.

May 7, 2015. "Author Weighs In On Afghanistan-Pakistan Intricacies". Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe. Ahmed Rashid, the author of four popular books on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia is interviewed about the propects of peace talks achieving anything.

May 4, 2015. "Afghan Talks Agree On Reopening Taliban Political Office". Radio Free Europe. Negotiators have agreed that insurgents should open a political office for negotiations.

May 2, 2015. "Afghan Delegation to Meet Taliban in Qatar". Gandhara Blog, Radio Free Europe. An Afghan government group will meet for several days - 20 members of the High Peace Council.

May 1, 2014. "A seat at the table in Afghanistan". The Washington Post. Heather Barr writes on the Afghan women who push for a seat at the negotiating table with the Taliban.

April 2, 2015. "Afghanistan's Peace Talks: At a Geopolitical Crossroads". By Jack Detsch, The Diplomat. With the U.S. refocusing its role in Afghanistan, China and Pakistan are leading the push for talks with the Taliban.

March 1, 2015. "Afghanistan: Don't Leave Women Out of Peace Talks". Human Rights Watch.

February 18, 2015. "Can China help with Afghanistan's peace process?" Deutsche Welle.

2014

December 18, 2014. "Peace Talks with Afghan Taliban Expected to Resume". Gandhara Blog.

December 10, 2014. "U.S., Pakistan increase cooperation in hope of Afghan peace", Reuters.

November 11, 2014. "Give the Taliban a Chance". The New York Times. A writer seems to think that partial rule by the Taliban in rural areas of the south could be a good thing.

November 10, 2014. "Afghanistan's Complex Peace Calculus", The Diplomat.

October 31, 2014. "Afghan President Calls on Taliban to Join Peace Process". Radio Free Europe.

October 21, 2014. "Helping Afghans Work Towards Peace". IWPR.

October 20, 2014. "Is the Afghan Unity Government a Roadmap for Negotiations with the Taliban?" The South Asia Channel, Foreign Policy.

March 4, 2014. "The Afghans Are Already Dealing With the Taliban". The New York Times. Opinion piece by a former US. Army infantry officer with two tours in Afghanistan.

February 7, 2014. "Afghan Peace Council Praises Pakistan Talks". Radio Free Europe. The High Peace Council applauds the talks between government of Pakistan and the Pakistan Taliban.

February 3, 2014. "Karzai Arranged Secret Contacts With the Taliban". The New York Times. Report speculates that the Bilateral Security Agreement was held up by Karzai to appease the Taliban.

January 19, 2014. "Yes, the Taliban Are Terrorists". Commentary Magazine. The article criticizes attempts to negotiate with the Taliban; calling them terrorists that need to be defeated.

2013

August 7, 2013. "Taliban holding unofficial talks with Afghan government in effort to restart peace process". The Washington Post.

July 14, 2013. "Afghanistan: The War After the War". New York Review of Books. The likely result of peace talks involving the Taliban, United States, and Afghanistan.

May 1, 2013. "Taliban assassinate member of the Afghan High Peace Council". The Long War Journal.

April 9, 2013. "Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar". The New York Times. High level Taliban delegation lives good life in Qatar; does nothing.

April 9, 2013. "Afghan Reconciliation: Karzai's Qatar Gambit - Analysis". Eurasiareview.com.

February 22, 2013. "Freed Afghan Taliban fighters return to insurgency." Google AP News.

February 19, 2013. "5 factors for peace in Afghanistan". The Christian Science Monitor.

February 4, 2013. "David Cameron invites Taliban to talks over Afghanistan's future". The Guardian.

January 24, 2013. "The Afghan Peace Process: Are We on the Right Track?". Diplomatic Courier.

2012

December 10, 2012. "Taliban 'could govern parts of Afghanistan' under new peace deal". The Telegraph. Pakistan to take major role in peace talks and insurgents could administer parts of country in east and south.

December 3, 2012. "U.S. pushes to restart peace talks with Taliban". The Washington Post.

November 12, 2012. "Afghan reconciliation: Kabul's top negotiator seeks release of Taliban prisoners". The Tribune Express.

September 10, 2012. "Why it's time for talks with the Taliban". The Guardian.

September 2012. "Taliban Perspectives on Reconciliation", By Michael Semple, Theo Farrell, Anatol Lieven and Rudra Chaudhuri. A Royal United Services Institute briefing paper.

April 5, 2012.  "There's no 'I' in Afghan Endgame".  By Candace Rondeaux, The AFPAK Channel.

April 4, 2012.  "Talks with the Taliban: There is no other way". The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy.

April 3, 2012.  "Reconciliation and Reintegration". Daily Outlook Afghanistan.

March 29, 2012.  "Second Afghan Insurgent Group Suspends Peace Talks". The New York Times.

March 26, 2012.  "Talking about Talks: Toward a Political Settlement in Afghanistan".  International Crisis Group.

March 16, 2012.  "Ending the Afghan War".  Council on Foreign Relations.

March 11, 2012.  "The drive to turn the Taliban to peace". The Telegraph.  A war correspondent visits Badghis Province with Maj Gen David Hook of the F-RIC of ISAF.

March 8, 2012.  "A new kind of Taliban: An interview with Maulvi Qalamuddin".  AFPAK Channel.

February 21, 2012.  "Ex-head of Taliban police shows more moderate face".  Reuters.  Maulvi Qalmuddin now a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council.

February 19, 2012.  "Afghan talks to fail without all groups - Hizb-i-Islami".  Reuters.

February 16, 2012.  "Talking with the Taliban, making peace with the guilty".  by Michael Hayden, CNN Opinion.

February 14, 2012.  "Divide and conquer negotiations".  The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy. An analysis of the Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) at the negotiating table by David H. Young.

February 13, 2012.  "How Afghan Peace Talks are Splintering the Taliban".  The Daily Beast.

February 11, 2012.  "The truth about Taliban reintegration".  The Telegraph.

February 10, 2012.  "Moderate Taliban: A wolf in sheep's clothing?"  By Rachel Reid, The AFPAK Channel.

February 3, 2012.  "Analysis: Politics drives exit from Afghanistan".  Associated Press.

February 2, 2012.  "Divisions within Taliban make peace elusive".  CBS News.

February 2, 2012.  "Taliban denies it is ready for Afghan peace talks".  USA Today.

February 1, 2012.  "Washington's wishful thinking about Taliban talks".  The Guardian.

February 1, 2012.  "Afghanistan: The Best Way to Peace".  The New York Review of Books.

February 1, 2012.  "Taliban deny they are ready for Afghan peace talks".  USA Today.

January 30, 2012.  "Talking to the Taliban and the trust deficit".  The Guardian.

January 28, 2012.  "The Place of Women in the Afghanistan Peace Process".  Forbes.com.

January 27, 2012.  "Taliban Willing to Compromise, Afghan Negotiators Say".  The New York Times.

January 25, 2012.  "A Taliban 'Rope-a-Dope' Strategy?"  The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy.

January 22, 2012.  "Afghan government hints at Taliban talks".  CNN.

January 22, 2012.  "US Envoy: Taliban Must Renounce Terrorism to Participate in Talks".  Voice of America.

January 20, 2012.  "Obama's only way out of Afghanistan is to talk".  The Guardian.

January 18, 2012.  "Enough Already: It's Time to Talk to the Taliban".  By Stephen Hadley and John Podesta.  Foreign Policy.

January 18, 2012.  "The Fog of Peace".  The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy.

January 12, 2012.  "Taliban Ready for Afghan Peace Talks". Voice of America.

January 12, 2012.  "Talk to the Taliban".  Reuters.

2011

December 9, 2011.  "Afghan Peace Requires Will and Ideas".  United States Institute of Peace.

October 31, 2011.  "The Afghan talks: moving from semantics to substance".  The Hill's Congress Blog.

October 6, 2011.  "Taliban See Writing on the Wall, U.S. Commander Says".  American Forces Press Service.

October 1, 2011.  "Karzai rules out more Taliban negotiations".  The Guardian.

September 26, 2011.  "Killing Deals Another Blow to Afghan Peace Talks".  NPR.org.

September 26, 2011.  "Is reconciliation finished in Afghanistan?"  The AFPAK Channel.

September 21, 2011.  "Slain Afghan ex-president sought peace". USA Today.

September 21, 2011. "Blow to Afghan Peace Talks?" Council on Foreign Relations.

September 21, 2011.  "Rabbani slaying no deterrent, Clinton says".  UPI.com.

September 21, 2011.  "Killing of former Afghan President Rabbini imperils Taliban peace talks".  The Christian Science Monitor.

September 21, 2011.  "Afghans mourn ex-president slain by suicide bomber".  Forbes.com.

September 18, 2011.  "Southern Afghan Leaders Meet, Discuss Peace, Reintegration".  ISAF.

September 6, 2011.  "Afghan war: What some local officials are willing to do for peace".  The Christian Science Monitor.

June 21, 2011.  "Former feared Taliban enforcer now promoting peace in Afghanistan".  Article about Mauliv Qalamuddin - former head of Afghan Islamic vigilante squads or religious police.

2010

October 12, 2010.  "Afghanistan's Peace and Reconciliation Plan: Can it work?".  South Asia Citizens Web.

October 10, 2010.  "Afghanistan picks chairman for peace council". CNN World.

October 7, 2010.  "Afghan peace council opens as Afghans assess nine years of war".  The Christian Science Monitor.

September 28, 2010.  "Warlords' Peace Council".  Afghanistan Analysts Network.

June 2, 2010.  "Afghanistan peace conference debates talking to Taliban".  The Christian Science Monitor.

June 2, 2010.  "Assessing Peace Prospects in Afghanistan". Center for American Progress.