London / Information Office February 01
International Contact Group (ICG) on Afghanistan thanked the State of Qatar for its efforts in building peace in Afghanistan and decided to hold its next meeting in Doha in 2019.
This was stated in the final communique of the group's meeting held in London from January 30 to 31, 2019.
HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs' Special Envoy for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani presided the State of Qatar's delegation to the meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Afghanistan in partnership with Germany, discussed how to build the peace process in Afghanistan in terms of the unity of the international position towards the situation in Afghanistan, and to undertake consultations across the group to help this country restore stability, security, and peace.
Delegations at the meeting welcomed the good efforts of the State of Qatar and its mediation for a political solution to the situation in Afghanistan, especially the recent round of talks between the U.S. and the Afghan Taliban in Doha.
HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs' Special Envoy for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution stressed in his speech that the talks of the U.S. side with the Taliban took place in a constructive and positive atmosphere reflecting the seriousness of both sides in achieving progress in the path of reconciliation and achieve peace in Afghanistan.
HE Dr. Al Qahtani pointed to the need for all regional and international parties to unite and coordinate peace efforts in Afghanistan and avoid distracting efforts.
He called for supporting the efforts of Doha and its strategic allies to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan, stressing the need to cooperate in building the capacity of some parties to the conflict, build trust among them, prepare for the necessary conditions for negotiations, provide the necessary political incentives to create political conditions for successful negotiations and unify efforts to achieve that.
At the end of the meeting, the group thanked the State of Qatar for its invitation and readiness to host the next meeting of the ICG on Afghanistan in Doha this year.
On the sidelines of the ICG on Afghanistan meeting, HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs' Special Envoy for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani met with HE U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, HE UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, and HE director of the department of Afghanistan and Pakistan at the British Foreign Office Lesley Craig.
The meetings touched on a number of topics, notably the distinguished role of the State of Qatar in mediation and its position on the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, and the rejection of all parties to the military solution in the peace process in Afghanistan, as well as regional and international attitudes towards Afghanistan and the importance of regional and international cooperation in this regard.