News Analysis: Afghanistan's peace body cautious about proposed resumption of peace talks

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has once again described Afghanistan's enemy as Pakistan's and vowed to facilitate the resumption of stalled peace talks between the Afghanistan government and Taliban.

Addressing the "Heart of Asia" conference in Islamabad recently, Premier Sharif clearly stated that "enemies of Afghanistan are the enemies of Pakistan" and Pakistan would continue to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

However, the High Peace Council (HPC), the Afghan government-backed peace body, was cautiously looking toward resumption of the proposed peace talks and the promise made by Islamabad to help bring Taliban back to the negotiating table.

"Pakistan has announced its readiness to facilitate peace talks but the most important thing is that the Taliban leadership announces its resolve to negotiate with the government," Mohammad Ismael Qasimyar, who is in charge of international relations for HPC, told Xinhua on Friday.

He believed that no efforts for peace could deliver results unless the warring side - Taliban agreed for negotiation.

The official made the remarks amid increasing violence in Afghanistan and the upcoming visit of Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to Kabul.

General Sharif would visit Kabul in the near future, possibly within days and meet with Afghan officials on reviving the stalled talks and fixing the date for the second round of the peace process.

The first round of face-to-face talks between Taliban and Afghan government was held in Pakistan in July but the process was halted by Taliban new leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor following confirmation of the death of then leader of Taliban Mullah Mohammad Omar.

"In my opinion both sides should agree on ceasefire before holding the peace talks to create the environment conducive for talks," Qasimyar said, adding that "the talks should be result-oriented."

However, he said so far the place and the date for the talks and who would represent the Taliban in the talks had not been determined.

After confirmation of Omar's death, Taliban militants were divided into factions, prominent among them led by Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor and his rival Mullah Mohammad Rasoul who has called for Mansoor's resignation.

"Possibly Mullah Mansoor's faction will represent Taliban in the proposed peace talks," Qasimyar predicted.

Series of clashes have been reported between Mansoor's supporters and opponents since August. A recent fighting between the two sides in Shindand district of the western Herat province weeks ago claimed more than 100 lives from both sides, according to the local media.

"Neither Mullah Mansoor nor Mullah Rasoul has signaled for peace talks with the Afghan government," another analyst Khan Mohammad Danesho said. Endit