Afghanistan: No room for false starts and obstacles

Afghan President Hamid Karzai must reconsider his decision to walk away from the negotiating table as "too much is at stake", a local newspaper wrote today. In an editorial comment, the English language Gulf News urged all stakeholders to view with "cautious optimism" the ray of hope that percolates out of Afghanistan, effected by the fact that the Taliban, US and Afghan government are preparing the groundwork for possible peace negotiations. Noting that there are chances of a potential breakthrough, the paper said this can act as a panacea to the hopes and aspirations of the Afghan people who are gasping for normalcy in their daily lives without the fear of death hanging over their heads. Urging all parties must tread carefully and create an atmosphere for constructive dialogue, it said efforts to achieve peace have been locked in an impasse for the past 18 months and the violence shows no sign of receding. The US is aware that Afghanistan must be stabilised before the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2014. "NATO forces have failed to reach their objective in ensuring that the governance and security of this violence-torn country is in capable hands. In this context, it is crucial that talks with the Taliban must succeed." "There is no room for false starts and obstacles. Obviously, there is a trust deficit among all involved, but participants have an accountability to make it work and this means making realistic compensations and guarantees. Otherwise, there will be a hopeless future for common Afghans," the paper concluded.