Taliban leaders ‘offered asylum’ under London peace plan
January 21st, 2010 - 5:24 pm ICT by ANI
Kabul, Jan. 21 (ANI): Taliban leaders could be offered exile abroad and have their names deleted from a UN sanctions blacklist as part of a peace plan for Afghanistan to be unveiled in London next week. According to The Telegraph, a briefing paper on the Afghan government’s proposals says any peace deal may include “potential exile in a third country” for insurgent leaders.
The document does not name any country, but Saudi Arabia, which recognised the former Taliban regime, is believed to be a possible candidate to give leaders a new life. Afghan ministers and the international community in Kabul endorsed the plan on Tuesday.
It envisages a twin-track strategy aiming separately at foot soldiers and the leadership.
After eight years of intensifying fighting NATO commanders have acknowledged political negotiation is the only solution to the worsening fighting.
They are now backing a “carrot and stick” strategy of more troops to reverse the Taliban’s military momentum coupled with incentives for fighters to rejoin society.
The plan will be unveiled to the London conference on January 28 by President Karzai and his adviser Mohammad Masoom Stanakzai. (ANI)
- 26 Taliban inmates released after Afghan jirga deal - Jun 22, 2010
- 'Afghan reconciliation talks with Taliban in "final stage"' - Dec 04, 2010
- Afghan Taliban reconciliation plan fizzles out over militants' rejection of Peace Council - Nov 10, 2010
- Taliban demands removal of leaders names from US, UN terror blacklist - Oct 30, 2010
- Karzai to brief India on new Taliban strategy - Oct 03, 2011
- Karzai forms committee to push for peace talks with Taliban - Sep 05, 2010
- With Pakistan in mind, Delhi and Kabul seal strategic pact - Oct 05, 2011
- Taliban contact with Afghan government 'intensifying': Karzai aide - Oct 07, 2010
- Pakistan offers Afghanistan intelligence in Rabbani's killing - Oct 11, 2011
- Baradar's capture, Marja camapign unlikely to break Taliban will: NYT - Feb 19, 2010
- UNSC removes five 'unimportant' Taliban names from sanctions list - Jul 31, 2010
- Afghanistan not prepared to go 10 years back, says Afghan MP - Jun 06, 2010
- Afghan police, rebels killed as UN reviews Taliban blacklist - Jun 13, 2010
- As Pakistan looms, PM returns from Afghanistan with renewed ties (Lead) - May 13, 2011
- Khar to visit Afghanistan Wednesday - Jan 31, 2012
Tags: adviser, afghan government, asylum, briefing paper, exile, foot soldiers, jan 21, kabul, london conference, masoom, mohammad, nato commanders, peace deal, peace plan, political negotiation, president karzai, saudi arabia, taliban, taliban regime, un sanctions