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| Taliban’s Rare Silence on Talks Charges Up a New Peace Conference | Taliban’s Rare Silence on Talks Charges Up a New Peace Conference |
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| TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Senior diplomats have gathered to talk about peace in Afghanistan dozens of times through the years, and the Taliban have uniformly been both absent and dismissive of their efforts. | TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Senior diplomats have gathered to talk about peace in Afghanistan dozens of times through the years, and the Taliban have uniformly been both absent and dismissive of their efforts. |
| On Tuesday, Afghanistan and its allies, neighbors and benefactors gathered here in Uzbekistan’s capital to talk again. The Taliban were, to be sure, absent as usual, but they have kept a studious public silence about this latest effort to negotiate peace. | |
| The difference this time, many of the delegates said at an unusually optimistic conference, was a sweeping offer from the Afghan government on Feb. 28 to lure the Taliban to the table, along with increased international pressure. Even among the feuding factions within the Afghan delegation, there has been remarkable cohesion over the latest peace overture. | The difference this time, many of the delegates said at an unusually optimistic conference, was a sweeping offer from the Afghan government on Feb. 28 to lure the Taliban to the table, along with increased international pressure. Even among the feuding factions within the Afghan delegation, there has been remarkable cohesion over the latest peace overture. |
| Beyond even the Taliban’s rare refusal to dismiss the offer out of hand, there is evidence that a more serious conversation is underway among the insurgents. | Beyond even the Taliban’s rare refusal to dismiss the offer out of hand, there is evidence that a more serious conversation is underway among the insurgents. |
| Reached for comment, several senior Taliban officials acknowledged this week that the movement was busy in internal discussions over how to respond to the government’s offer. The Taliban members, as well as Afghan and Western officials, said that diplomatic visits with Taliban political representatives, in Qatar and elsewhere, had increased in recent weeks to try to persuade the insurgents to come to talks. | Reached for comment, several senior Taliban officials acknowledged this week that the movement was busy in internal discussions over how to respond to the government’s offer. The Taliban members, as well as Afghan and Western officials, said that diplomatic visits with Taliban political representatives, in Qatar and elsewhere, had increased in recent weeks to try to persuade the insurgents to come to talks. |
| The offer on the table, made by President Ashraf Ghani, included recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political party, passports for their officials, an office in Kabul or somewhere else they preferred, the release of Taliban prisoners and efforts to remove their leaders from international sanctions lists. | The offer on the table, made by President Ashraf Ghani, included recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political party, passports for their officials, an office in Kabul or somewhere else they preferred, the release of Taliban prisoners and efforts to remove their leaders from international sanctions lists. |
| Just because the Taliban may be discussing the offer does not mean they’re going to take it, of course. Most of the Taliban figures reached for comment by The New York Times preferred to remain quiet, referring the queries to representatives in Qatar. Members at the office in Qatar, in return, did not respond to requests for comment. | Just because the Taliban may be discussing the offer does not mean they’re going to take it, of course. Most of the Taliban figures reached for comment by The New York Times preferred to remain quiet, referring the queries to representatives in Qatar. Members at the office in Qatar, in return, did not respond to requests for comment. |
| Some Taliban figures who did speak made sure to express their old mistrust of any peace offer by the Western-backed Afghan government. | Some Taliban figures who did speak made sure to express their old mistrust of any peace offer by the Western-backed Afghan government. |
| Mullah Hamidee, a Taliban military commander in the south, said: “Our stance on peace talk is totally dependent on foreign troops’ abandoning our country. Anytime they set the date for leaving, we will be willing to talk on peace.” | Mullah Hamidee, a Taliban military commander in the south, said: “Our stance on peace talk is totally dependent on foreign troops’ abandoning our country. Anytime they set the date for leaving, we will be willing to talk on peace.” |
| One senior Taliban commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was talking to the news media without the leadership’s permission, insisted that the insurgents were not ready to negotiate directly with the Afghan government. The discussions underway, he said, are over what kind of negotiations might be acceptable, “but the mood of leadership is likely to not initiate peace talks with the Afghan government.” | One senior Taliban commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was talking to the news media without the leadership’s permission, insisted that the insurgents were not ready to negotiate directly with the Afghan government. The discussions underway, he said, are over what kind of negotiations might be acceptable, “but the mood of leadership is likely to not initiate peace talks with the Afghan government.” |
| While that is far from a rousing endorsement, it is a long way from the Taliban’s outright and fulsome dismissal of past peace initiatives, always insisting that they would talk only to the “occupiers,” meaning the American military, as long as they remained on Afghan soil. | While that is far from a rousing endorsement, it is a long way from the Taliban’s outright and fulsome dismissal of past peace initiatives, always insisting that they would talk only to the “occupiers,” meaning the American military, as long as they remained on Afghan soil. |
| Recently, several former officials involved in previous efforts to negotiate with the Taliban said the United States would need to play larger role as facilitator if the insurgents were to take any prospects of negotiations seriously. | Recently, several former officials involved in previous efforts to negotiate with the Taliban said the United States would need to play larger role as facilitator if the insurgents were to take any prospects of negotiations seriously. |
| One senior diplomat in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, said the government’s offer had been a game changer. | One senior diplomat in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, said the government’s offer had been a game changer. |
| “The Taliban feel a bit confused, they feel pressured,” he said. “At the Kabul conference, everybody said they should talk to the Afghan government; they are the only ones insisting they should talk to the occupiers.” | “The Taliban feel a bit confused, they feel pressured,” he said. “At the Kabul conference, everybody said they should talk to the Afghan government; they are the only ones insisting they should talk to the occupiers.” |
| As the government of Uzbekistan convened the conference here, pressure on the Taliban came from another, unexpected quarter: the group’s own heartland. | As the government of Uzbekistan convened the conference here, pressure on the Taliban came from another, unexpected quarter: the group’s own heartland. |
| In Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, a major Taliban stronghold, a suicide bombing at a wrestling match Friday killed 14 people. This week hundreds of Helmand residents held a sit-in, vowing to carry out a “long march” to the Taliban-held town of Musa Qala to demand peace talks. The protesters included women, rarely seen outside their homes in that conservative corner of Afghanistan. | In Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, a major Taliban stronghold, a suicide bombing at a wrestling match Friday killed 14 people. This week hundreds of Helmand residents held a sit-in, vowing to carry out a “long march” to the Taliban-held town of Musa Qala to demand peace talks. The protesters included women, rarely seen outside their homes in that conservative corner of Afghanistan. |
| “The only aim of the sit-in is to stop fighting from both sides,” said one of the organizers, Iqbal Khaibar. “The Taliban should not send bombers and the government should not drop bombs on them.” | “The only aim of the sit-in is to stop fighting from both sides,” said one of the organizers, Iqbal Khaibar. “The Taliban should not send bombers and the government should not drop bombs on them.” |
| He said their march would take place without security: “This is our country and we can go anywhere in it.” | He said their march would take place without security: “This is our country and we can go anywhere in it.” |
| Akram Khpalwak, the head of the Afghan government’s High Peace Council secretariat, was among the optimists. “The narrative needed to change,” he said. “There was a perception that, over the years, the Taliban wanted peace but the government side did not have a clear plan for it, and was not offering a comprehensive plan. We wanted to change that perception, and make an offer that leaves few questions.” | Akram Khpalwak, the head of the Afghan government’s High Peace Council secretariat, was among the optimists. “The narrative needed to change,” he said. “There was a perception that, over the years, the Taliban wanted peace but the government side did not have a clear plan for it, and was not offering a comprehensive plan. We wanted to change that perception, and make an offer that leaves few questions.” |
| Mr. Ghani’s offer to the Taliban came after consultations among all elements of Afghan society, Mr. Khpalwak said, including the most ardent anti-Taliban factions and the most sympathetic. | Mr. Ghani’s offer to the Taliban came after consultations among all elements of Afghan society, Mr. Khpalwak said, including the most ardent anti-Taliban factions and the most sympathetic. |
| So optimistic is Mr. Ghani’s government that when the American secretary of defense, James N. Mattis, visited Kabul recently, the two men spent most of their time discussing the technical measures that would be needed to implement the government’s offers and get peace talks underway, according to Afghan officials briefed on Mr. Mattis’s visit. | So optimistic is Mr. Ghani’s government that when the American secretary of defense, James N. Mattis, visited Kabul recently, the two men spent most of their time discussing the technical measures that would be needed to implement the government’s offers and get peace talks underway, according to Afghan officials briefed on Mr. Mattis’s visit. |
| The Taliban are no longer the united force they were under their former leader, Mullah Omar, but they are also reeling from heavy battlefield losses — as is the government side. While the insurgents have continued to gain territory, no clear victory is in sight for either side. | The Taliban are no longer the united force they were under their former leader, Mullah Omar, but they are also reeling from heavy battlefield losses — as is the government side. While the insurgents have continued to gain territory, no clear victory is in sight for either side. |
| In addition, the Pakistanis have come under heavy pressure from the United States over the issue of Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan. | In addition, the Pakistanis have come under heavy pressure from the United States over the issue of Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan. |
| The Afghan government hoped that the Tashkent conference would help bring the Russians on board, as well, particularly with the involvement of their Central Asian allies, Uzbekistan and its neighbors. The Uzbek president, Shavkat Myrziyoyev, offered to host eventual peace talks. | |
| But the conference convened in the midst of widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats by Western countries, and Russians were reported to be unhappy with what they see as sidelining Moscow from the peace process. | But the conference convened in the midst of widespread expulsions of Russian diplomats by Western countries, and Russians were reported to be unhappy with what they see as sidelining Moscow from the peace process. |
| The American military has accused Russia of working behind the scenes with the Taliban. In a recent interview with the BBC, the American commander, Gen. John W. Nicholson, said the Russian “activity really picked up in the last 18 to 24 months.” He said, “Prior to that we had not seen this kind of destabilizing activity by Russia here.” | The American military has accused Russia of working behind the scenes with the Taliban. In a recent interview with the BBC, the American commander, Gen. John W. Nicholson, said the Russian “activity really picked up in the last 18 to 24 months.” He said, “Prior to that we had not seen this kind of destabilizing activity by Russia here.” |
| That led to a furious response from the Russian Embassy in Kabul. “Those who are really responsible for the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan are trying to put the burden of guilt for their failures on Russia and damage the Russian-Afghan relations,” the embassy said in a statement. | That led to a furious response from the Russian Embassy in Kabul. “Those who are really responsible for the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan are trying to put the burden of guilt for their failures on Russia and damage the Russian-Afghan relations,” the embassy said in a statement. |
| Despite such setbacks, Mr. Ghani’s recent offer was the most concrete sign of progress in at least the past three years. | Despite such setbacks, Mr. Ghani’s recent offer was the most concrete sign of progress in at least the past three years. |
| The high point came in 2015, when the two sides actually met in person near Islamabad, Pakistan, for exploratory talks. But the next session was scuttled when it turned out that the Afghans were, in effect, negotiating with a dead man: The Taliban’s founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, had died more than two years earlier, and the talks fell apart amid those revelations. | The high point came in 2015, when the two sides actually met in person near Islamabad, Pakistan, for exploratory talks. But the next session was scuttled when it turned out that the Afghans were, in effect, negotiating with a dead man: The Taliban’s founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, had died more than two years earlier, and the talks fell apart amid those revelations. |
| But even if the Taliban are willing to join the peace process, said the senior diplomat, a long process of confidence building and pre-talks lies ahead before any actual, face-to-face peace negotiations. More terrorist bombings in Kabul and other Afghan cities would put the Afghan government in a difficult position, he said. | But even if the Taliban are willing to join the peace process, said the senior diplomat, a long process of confidence building and pre-talks lies ahead before any actual, face-to-face peace negotiations. More terrorist bombings in Kabul and other Afghan cities would put the Afghan government in a difficult position, he said. |