Taliban dismisses Istanbul Conference

Taliban Thursday described as worthless the international Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan and said that the conference had nothing about foreign forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan. “The conference was of no importance as the declaration did not call for withdrawal of invaders,” Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. He said that only those meetings and decisions which could specify the occupying forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan and could take practical step in this regard could be useful, the Taliban spokesman said. Mujahid also said that the conference in Bonn will also produce no result as most of the countries which will attend the conference are invaders of Afghanistan. He said solution to Afghan problem is possible when all occupation forces leave Afghanistan and let the Afghans to decide their fate. He said the Taliban's disapproving of the Istanbul Conference shows that they are still insist on their longstanding stance not to hold talks unless a framework is announced for the withdrawal of foreign troops. The US and several NATO nations have announced to leave Afghanistan by 2014 but the US also wants to keep several thousand troops and seek permanent bases. The Istanbul conference announced support for an inclusive Afghan national process of reconciliation, in accordance with the Constitution of Afghanistan and in ways which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven. “In assisting Afghanistan, we endorse its efforts at promoting an inclusive reconciliation process and welcome and support the efforts of the High Peace Council, and the implementation of the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program,” the conference said in a declaration. The conference also supported the ongoing process of transition of responsibility for providing security in Afghanistan from ISAF/NATO to Afghan National Security Forces in the framework of the ‘Kabul Process’.