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Afghan FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: A Ceasefire Would Clear ‘Taliban’ from Responsibility for Violence

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar, Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO TAKEN BY: Bashir Saleh)
Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar, Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO TAKEN BY: Bashir Saleh)
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Afghan FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: A Ceasefire Would Clear ‘Taliban’ from Responsibility for Violence

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar, Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO TAKEN BY: Bashir Saleh)
Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar, Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO TAKEN BY: Bashir Saleh)

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar stressed the importance of the role played by Saudi Arabia in advancing peace efforts in his country, and has requested from his Saudi counterpart that the Kingdom weighs in on achieving a ceasefire in Afghanistan.

The top diplomat had recently held comprehensive talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on expanding bilateral cooperation in the political, security, economic, and development sectors.

“We are very grateful for the special attention received from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their eagerness to strengthen the relationship with our country,” Atmar said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat.

Reaffirming that the Afghan government has met all commitments it made to the Taliban, Atmar said it was the party’s turn to comply with its obligations and prove its good intentions.

“We have released over 6,000 detainees and met all the demands made by the Taliban,” he said.

“Now the Taliban must prove to the Afghan people and the international community that they are fulfilling the promises and obligations they signed,” he added.

The foreign minister explained that peace talks held in Doha were a good start for reaching reconciliation with the Taliban, but remain insufficient without international and regional participation.

“It is an important initiative that opens the doorway to negotiations,” he said about the Doha talks, asserting that a second round of them is coming up.

Atmar hoped for regional and international support to underpin Afghan negotiations, noting that holding the talks alone is not enough to overcome the difficulties lying in the path of achieving desired goals.

Invoking Taliban’s recent attempts to dodge blame for violence in Afghanistan, Atmar said that the best way for the group to demonstrate that it does not want violence is for it to agree to a ceasefire.

He also added that it would clear the Taliban from responsibility for recent aggression levels in Afghanistan.

“The Afghan government sees that a ceasefire agreement would serve as the best evidence on the Taliban not seeking violence and that they are not responsible for the current level of violence in the country,” said Atmar.

Expressing optimism about the new US administration, Atmar said that the joint security talks with Washington are vital to supporting international stability.

“The US and Afghanistan have common interests, especially in achieving security,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, adding that Washington has “signed binding agreements in Afghanistan.”

Atmar emphasized that Afghanistan does not want to be involved in regional conflict, and highlighted the significance of the support the South Asian country receives from the Muslim World League.

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Lebanon’s President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Decision of War and Peace Lies Solely with the State

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
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Lebanon’s President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Decision of War and Peace Lies Solely with the State

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says he wants to build a state that has the decision of war and peace and stressed he is committed to implementing Security Council Resolution 1701.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, his first since his election in January, Aoun said: “Our objective is to build the state, so nothing is difficult. And if we want to talk about the concept of sovereignty, its concept is to place the decisions of war and peace in the hands of the state, and to monopolize or restrict weapons to the state.”

“When will it be achieved? Surely, the circumstances will allow it,” he told the newspaper.

Asked whether the state will be able to impose control over all Lebanese territories with its own forces and without any military or security partnership, he said: "It is no longer allowed for anyone other than the state to fulfill its national duty in protecting the land and the people ... When there is an aggression against the Lebanese state, the state makes the decision, and it determines how to mobilize forces to defend the country."

He also stressed his full commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. “The state and all its institutions are committed to implementing the Resolution” on the “entire Lebanese territories,” Aoun said.

On the possible adoption of a defense strategy, Aoun insisted that even if a state does not have enemies on its borders, it should agree on a national security strategy that not only deals with military goals but also economic and fiscal objectives.

“We are tired of war,” he said in response to a question. “We hope to end military conflicts and resolve our problems through diplomatic efforts,” he said.

Asked whether he was surprised that the Israeli army has stayed at five points in south Lebanon, Aoun said that Israel should have committed to the ceasefire agreement that was sponsored by the US and France and should have withdrawn from all areas it had entered during the war with Hezbollah.

“We are in contact with France and the US to pressure Israel to withdraw from the five points because they don’t have any military value,” he said.

“With the emergence of technologies, drones and satellites,” an army does not need a hill for surveillance, Aoun added.

"Saudi Arabia has become a gateway for the region and for the whole world. It has become a platform for global peace,” he said when asked why he has chosen to visit the Kingdom on his first official trip abroad.

“I hope and expect from Saudi Arabia, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that we correct the relationship for the benefit of both countries and remove all the obstacles ... so that we can build economic and natural relations between us.”

He said that during his visit he plans to ask Saudi Arabia to revive a grant of military aid to Lebanon.

On relations with the Syrian authorities, Aoun said he intends to have friendly ties the new Syrian administration and that one of the pressing issues is to resolve the problem of the porous border between the two countries.

“There are problems on the border (with Syria) with smugglers. Most importantly, the land and sea border with Syria should be demarcated,” he said.

Aoun also called for resolving the problem of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. “The Syrian state cannot give up on 2 million citizens who have been displaced to Lebanon.”

The refugees should return because “the Syrian war ended and the regime that was persecuting them collapsed,” he said.