KABUL: A team of government-appointed negotiators were expected to return from Doha, Qatar on Monday to “consult with authorities” on the next step for the intra-Afghan peace talks with the Taliban, after agreeing to ground rules with the insurgent group for the US-sponsored process.
“The delegation will return later (today) to Kabul for consultation with authorities and government leadership, not for rest,” Habiba Sarabi, a member of the Afghan government-appointed team, told Arab News. “The Taliban have also gone for consultations. Both sides have agreed on this.”
The Qatar talks, which began on Sept. 12, were held after a historic deal was signed between the US and the Taliban in February.
The talks coincided with an escalation in violence across Afghanistan, which has seen hundreds of civilians killed, while more than 35,000 have been displaced in Helmand, one of the worst affected provinces in the country.
However, despite holding the talks for more than three months, the two teams were able to break an impasse only about a week ago by setting ground rules for the crucial dialogue.
Naji Anwari, a spokesman for the government’s Ministry of Peace Affairs, told Arab News that the team’s return was “essential for the fast advancement of the remaining peace process with the leadership of the government and the political elite.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed to Arab News that the negotiators “had also begun discussions with their leadership and would return to Qatar on Jan. 5” for the resumption of talks with Kabul.
Meanwhile, an anonymous source close to the Kabul team said that “a 28-article draft agenda has been handed over to the Taliban by the government.”
In return, the Afghan government has also given a 21-article draft agenda, which includes the formation of an interim government” to replace President Ashraf Ghani’s administration, who took office in March for a second five-year term.
Government officials were unavailable for comment when contacted by Arab News on Monday. However, Ghani, who was excluded from the secret talks and the February accord, has vehemently opposed the formation of an interim government.
On Sunday, the president’s adviser, Waheed Omer, said during a press conference: “An interim government is a mirage. Returning to the past is a false, imaginary hope.”
Afghan Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar echoed those thoughts on Monday.
“(The) international community wants the peace settlement to be based on values and is in favor of a system in which democracy is respected,” he told the Afghan Parliament.
“The international community has voted for a peace that preserves the republic, the constitution and achievements of the past years,” he added, highlighting the period after the Taliban’s ouster in a US-led invasion in 2001.
A key reason for the impasse in the intra-Afghan talks has been the Taliban’s insistence on using the conditions set in the deal with Washington, which government delegates finally agreed to over a week ago.
The February accord sought the complete withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by next spring, and thousands have since departed.
It also demanded that the Taliban cut ties with foreign militants and ensure that areas under their control were not used against any nation, including US interests.
Ghani is reportedly keen on prolonging the duration of the foreign troops’ stay in the country, with his government urging US President-elect Joe Biden to review the deal with the Taliban, and to retain some troops in Afghanistan to avoid it from regaining power by force, as in the mid-1990s.
Earlier this week, Ghani’s government pressed upon the need for Afghanistan to be “the real venue of the talks,” adding that the Taliban “can choose any region in the country which the group prefers.”
Rahmatullah Nabil, a former Afghan intelligence chief, linked the various factors for the three weeks break in Qatar talks to “both the Taliban and Kabul waiting to hear Biden’s policy on Afghanistan.”
He told Arab News: “Taliban and government delegates lack any commonalities on the agenda for the talks, and both sides require consultation over the issues mentioned in the agenda.
“Many of the facilitators in the Qatar talks were foreigners, and needed to take time off for Christmas and the new year,” he added.
Experts reason that the three-week break could prove to be a “vantage point” for both the teams.
“Ghani may look to test the new administration in (Washington) and position his maneuvers that way. The Taliban dragging out the talks will favor them more than Kabul, as frustration will grow among the Afghan government’s international backers,” Zabihullah Pakteen, an analyst, told Arab News.
“One can say it is all about positioning, consultations and consolidation of influence over the rivals within their camps,” he added.
Kabul team returns from Qatar after three months of peace talks
https://arab.news/ge563
Kabul team returns from Qatar after three months of peace talks
France asks for foreign police and military help with massive Paris Olympics security challenge
The officers are sought to help with Games security and “the spectator experience” and to “strengthen international cooperation,” the ministry said
PARIS: France says it has asked 46 countries if they would be willing to supply more than 2,000 police officers to help secure the Paris Olympics this summer, as organizers finalize security planning for the French capital’s first Games in a century while on heightened alert against potential attacks.
The Interior Ministry said Friday that the request for foreign security assistance was made in January, seeking nearly 2,185 reinforcements. The officers are sought to help with Games security and “the spectator experience” and to “strengthen international cooperation,” the ministry said.
“This is a classic approach of host countries for the organization of major international events,” the ministry added.
It noted that France sent 200 of its gendarmes to soccer’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and also welcomed 160 officers from other European security forces for the Rugby World Cup that France hosted last year.
Separately, the French Defense Ministry has also asked foreign nations for “small numbers” of military personnel who could help with “very specific” tasks at the Games, including sniffer dog teams, said Col. Pierre Gaudillière, spokesman for the army general staff.
Poland’s defense minister said his country will be sending soldiers to the Paris Games. The Polish armed forces delegation will include dog handlers and “its main goal will be to undertake activities related to the detection of explosives and counteracting terrorist phenomena.” the minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, posted on X.
Security is the biggest challenge for Paris Games organizers in a city that has been repeatedly hit by deadly attacks by Islamic extremists and which is expecting as many as 15 million visitors for the July 26-Aug. 11 Games and Paralympics that follow.
Security concerns are notably high for the opening ceremony, which will involve boats along the Seine River and huge crowds watching from the embankments.
France’s government increased its security alert posture to the highest level in the wake of the recent deadly attack at a Russian concert hall and Daesh’s claim of responsibility.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced the decision in a post on X, saying authorities were “taking into account Daesh’s claim of responsibility for the (Moscow) attack and the threats weighing on our country.″
EU parliament urged to probe Russian propaganda network
- Moscow also paid money to MEPs to promote Russian propaganda, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said
- The EU parliament’s political groups now want the assembly to probe the latest claims
BRUSSLES: The European Parliament came under pressure on Friday to investigate a Russia-financed network that wielded influence across Europe and involved EU lawmakers.
The Czech Republic said on Wednesday its spies discovered the network had been spreading Russian propaganda through the Prague-based Voice of Europe news site.
Moscow also paid money to MEPs to promote Russian propaganda, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Thursday.
The EU parliament’s political groups now want the assembly to probe the latest claims.
Valerie Hayer, who heads the centrist Renew grouping, wrote to parliament president Roberta Metsola to demand “a full and transparent internal investigation.”
“If sitting MEPs or candidates in the upcoming European elections have taken money from the Russian government or their proxies, they must be exposed and action taken,” she said.
The Renew group also called for an “urgent debate” in the parliament.
The Greens said there needed to be a “swift and thorough” investigation.
“This is how (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is trying to get away with his war in Ukraine.... It’s a direct attack on the very fabric of our democracy,” said Terry Reintke, one of the lead candidates for the Greens in the European elections in June.
“The politicians who have received money from Russia should be severely punished, both politically and legally,” she added in a statement.
A spokesperson for the parliament said it was “currently looking into the findings of the Czech authorities regarding outlet ‘Voice of Europe’ in coordination with its institutional partners.”
The spokesperson added that the parliament already prohibits access to the institution for media that are EU sanctions lists.
EU lawmakers face strict rules regarding independence and ethics and can face penalties — financial and otherwise — if they violate them.
The European politicians involved have not been named but the Greens and a Czech daily claimed they came from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Poland.
Fasting left me in awe of discipline required to observe Ramadan
- Writer describes being left in a ‘post-hunger state’
LONDON: Ramadan holds multiple points of significance for the Muslim world. Perhaps most famous for its month-long fast, it is also believed to have been when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad.
Neither Muslim, nor someone who had before — at least knowingly — fasted, the request from Arab News to do one and write about it left me with several questions.
Why? What would there be to write about besides feeling hungry and thirsty? And would I buckle and gorge on the Sainsbury’s grocery delivery I had lined up for the proposed day?
It turned out that having successfully gone from dawn to dusk without breaking the fast, I did indeed have some self-control when it came to eating.
Perhaps more importantly, it provided an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of why friends I know do it, and what it offers to the Muslim community, not to mention leaving me in awe of the physical and mental will required to fast for the full month.
Waking up a little after 3:30 a.m., I followed the instructions provided by my colleague Zaynab: “Eggs, banana, porridge.” I gave the dates a miss, mainly through forgetfulness.
At this point I should state that the absence of food or water for one 14.5-hour stretch did not leave me overly nervous. In fact, given it was to be a single day, I would say to write anything on it was, if anything, quite bizarre considering the famines gripping swathes of the world.
Speaking to a friend and Arab News colleague Tarek, I did, however, question how faithful people were when it came to missing out on any drink during daylight hours.
“No, not one drop, sir,” he said before agreeing that given a propensity for human social engagement to inform some form of consumption, this period of abstinence obviously affected social relations.
He added: “But there are other effects, including dizziness, fatigue, lethargy, lack of focus, and cravings — one day is fine but it is doing it consistently that makes it tough.”
Tarek’s reflections came about five hours into my own fast, and having followed Zaynab’s recommendations, I can confirm that I was not feeling any pangs of hunger at this stage, but by about midday I was finding my attention drawn more toward water.
I spoke to other observant Muslim friends, and one thing that came across was that while there was a general uniformity toward the observation of the fast, it was not monolithic.
For instance, one friend said that they did without food for the whole period, but abstaining from water was somewhat dependent on the time of year that Ramadan fell: if in the summer, they would do without all drinks but water.
Another friend, Nabila, said she was stricter than most of her friends and family, additionally doing without music as part of her observation of the holy month.
She added: “The way I see it is that it is one month. For the rest of the year we can do what we want, but through that one month of observation I gain a lot and I become more focused on some of the ills of society; that in turn helps me readjust my engagement with the world.”
Nabila’s focus on those undergoing forced fasts, with this year’s Ramadan coinciding with the largest assault on Gaza in a generation, was shared by others I spoke to or heard.
Speaking to the BBC, Dr. Amjad Eleiwa, the deputy director of the emergency department at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, said that Palestinians in Gaza had “already been fasting for months,” with others noting the “dark shadow” Israel’s war had cast over what Nabila said should be a joyous time.
She added: “It’s not easy, though. I have little or no energy and I struggle with work. You won’t see me out. It is not easy and anyone who says it is, well, they’ve probably not committed.”
Equally, however, Nabila noted that the breaking of the fast each day brought its own reward, describing the anticipation immediately before eating as a feeling “of excitement, that ends in a sense of euphoria … I can’t really describe it.”
As my own, solitary day of fasting came to an end, I found myself feeling, as it was suggested I might, almost in a post-hunger state. How did I break my fast? A yogurt.
London mayoral candidate condemned for ‘dismissing’ Islamophobia
- Susan Hall describes anti-Muslim tweet as ‘hurty words’ in interview
- Comments ‘demonstrate hierarchy of racism at play,’ says Muslim Council of Britain
LONDON: The Conservative mayoral candidate for London has faced condemnation after claiming that Islamophobic tweets are just “hurty words,” The Times reported on Friday.
Susan Hall, 69, has faced mounting criticism over a series of social media blunders on X, including supporting a tweet that referred to London’s Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, as “our nipple-height mayor of Londonistan.”
Hall responded to the tweet by Katie Hopkins, a controversial media commentator, with the words “thank you Katie.”
The mayoral candidate, a former Conservative leader of the London Assembly, was asked in an interview whether Muslims may find her response to the tweet jarring.
She said: “Jarring is the fact that poor people are having to pay £12.50 a day that they literally cannot afford. That is real. And that isn’t just hurty words.”
Hall was referring to London’s Ulez charge, an environmental tax on vehicle emissions implemented by Khan.
In response to her comments, the Muslim Council of Britain said: “Just as we would not consider antisemitic comments as ‘hurty words,’ nor should we Islamophobia.
“Susan Hall’s comments only demonstrate the hierarchy of racism at play. With a 300 percent rise in Islamophobic hate crimes, our elected representatives have a duty to ensure they are not part of the problem.
“As someone seeking to be the mayor of our capital, and the votes of the many Muslim Londoners who help make this city great, Susan Hall would do well to recognise rather than dismiss Islamophobia.”
Hall’s mayoral campaign suffered a new blow this week after she deleted an online advert that attacked Khan based on footage filmed in New York City instead of London.
Late last year, she also claimed to have been pickpocketed on the London Underground, despite her wallet later being handed in to authorities without any missing items.
In response to the condemnation, a spokesman for Hall said: “Unlike Sadiq Khan, Susan is listening to Londoners and as mayor she will put more police on the beat, ensure women feel safe, scrap the Ulez expansion and build more affordable family homes.”
North Korea rules out any meetings with Japan
- North Korea has said it had no interest in a summit with Japan and would reject any talks
- KCNA: Pyongyang has no intention to help with the issue of Japanese abductees
SEOUL: North Korea has no interest in dialogue with Japan, state media KCNA reported on Friday, citing foreign minister Choe Son Hui.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said he wants to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “without any preconditions” and is personally overseeing efforts to realize the first such leaders’ summit in 20 years in an attempt to defuse decades of tensions.
But North Korea has said it had no interest in a summit with Japan and would reject any talks, signalling no thaw in relations between the two countries.
Choe also said Pyongyang has no intention to help with the issue of Japanese abductees, according to KCNA, adding North Korea will “respond sharply” to Japan’s interference with its sovereignty.
“I cannot understand why he persistently adheres to the issue that cannot be settled,” Choe was quoted as saying by KCNA, referring to Kishida.
North Korea admitted in 2002 to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens decades earlier. Five abductees and their families later returned to Japan, saying the others had died.
However, Tokyo believes 17 Japanese were abducted, and continues to investigate the fate of those who did not return, according to Japanese media.
North Korea’s ambassador to China, Ri Ryong Nam, also said there would be no meeting at any level with Japan, a separate KCNA report said.
Ri made the remark in a statement, adding that an official at the Japanese embassy in Beijing proposed a contact via email to a councillor of the North Korean embassy.
“I make the stance clear once again that no meeting at any level will take place between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Japan’s side,” Ri was quoted as saying in the KCNA report.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim, has said she would welcome talks only if Japan was ready to make a new start without “being obsessed by the past.”
Relations have been strained over disputes including the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea in the early 2000s, Japan’s occupation of the Korean peninsula in 1910-1945 and its use of forced labor and sexual slavery.
Japan and North Korea also have clashed over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, with the North conducting a number of test launches in recent months, prompting fresh sanctions from Seoul and Washington.