Establishing an inclusive political system and fighting terrorism in Afghanistan is one of the very serious and primary demands of the citizens, political elites, and the international community in the country. After the domination of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the security concerns of the countries in the region and the resurgence of terrorist groups in the country have become hot debates in the decision-making centers of the great powers and the region. Recently, the Institute of Strategic Studies of Afghanistan held the 10th Security Summit of Herat in Tajikistan under the name “Inclusive Political System, Patterns and Roadmap” has been held. Speakers on the first day of this meeting emphasized on establishing an inclusive political system and ensuring women’s rights. Nearly 200 experts and political elites from different countries of the world participate in this meeting.
The summit, initiated by the Institute of Strategic Studies of Afghanistan, started on November 29, in the conference hall of the National Library of Tajikistan, under the title “Inclusive political system, Patterns and Roadmap” was held in Dushanbe, the capital of this country. On the first day of this meeting, the speakers discussed the establishment of an “inclusive political system”, “Afghanistan: the geopolitical black hole of regional consensus”, “Afghanistan women: betrayal, apartheid, resistance” and “Terrorism: holy violence, a tool of governance”.
Manijeh Bakhtari, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Austria, who participated in this meeting, said in an interview with Hasht-e Subh that Herat’s security talks will focus on the seven pillars of governance, regional consensus, women’s issues, terrorism, culture and art, the role of the international community and defining road map for future. This historical conference has become an important platform in the field of security issues and regional and international relations, and the fundamental discourse is for a new and different look at the problems and difficulties that are going on in Afghanistan and the region today.
She added, “terrorism and the presence of the Taliban has not only demolished the government and the constitution of Afghanistan but has also seriously damaged the fundamental rights of the people. Afghan women have lost their achievements and have been deprived of their fundamental rights such as the right to education and work. In such a critical and sensitive period of time, it is very important for the country to hold conferences like this that generate ideas and content, bring regional partners and western partners together on a platform and provide solutions.”
In addition, Rahmatullah Nabil, the former general director of national security, said in his speech at this meeting that international terrorists have reached their “strategic depth”. He emphasized: “The cautious optimism for a lasting peaceful solution to the Afghan crisis collapsed last year with the complete withdrawal of American and NATO forces, which led to the collapse of the Afghan government and the seizure of power by the Taliban.”
Mr. Nabil added: “Since the skill, scope, and motivation of terrorist groups have increased, it can be said that global terrorists have reached their strategic depth in Afghanistan, which is a big challenge for the region.”
He emphasized that the revival of ideological motivation has increased not only in Afghanistan but also in the region and beyond, especially after the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.
Former Afghan Government Officials’ Speeches
Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former advisor to the National Security Council, said in the opening speech of the summit: “Inclusive government cannot mean the mechanical division of political authorities and rejecting the principle of people’s right to choose and denying the established government.” According to him, “Afghanistan today has deliberately become a center of threats and sabotage in our region and the world. International terrorism havens have been brought to our country from the other side of the Durand line, and this is a serious threat to the peace and stability of the region and the world.
He said in his speech: “The re-emergence of the Taliban to power is something that means an unprecedented disruption of civilization and the re-establishment of an anti-human ideology.” He also called the first round of the Taliban “a symbol of sad horror and the beginning of a civilizational rupture and the beginning of a social vulgarity and anti-civilization”.
He added: “Narratives of descent and Islamist narratives and Jihad nostalgia could not and cannot cause the conflict of a pro-democracy and pro-justice grand narrative by accepting social, ethnic and cultural diversity. Taliban belief is a mixture of Islamism, Salafism, and Deobandi beliefs combined with tribalism”. This should not mean avoiding preparation for peace talks. War is not the choice of the Afghan people. “War is a sinister and subversive phenomenon, and we must end the war and kill in our country, but peace cannot be achieved by writing petitions weak approaches, and platform addresses.”
The former adviser of the National Security Council praised the bravery of the people on the resistance fronts, the civil and passionate struggles of women, and the political struggles of social forces and added that these are the components of a process that will eventually lead to peace.
However, Sayed Taieb Javad, the former ambassador of Afghanistan to Russia, said in this meeting that the Biden administration does not have a clear policy regarding Afghanistan. According to him, the existence of a failed government in Afghanistan may become an important electoral debate in the upcoming US presidential elections. Mr. Javad added that Qatar’s investment in the Kandahari Taliban has caused fragmentation among the Taliban. He also emphasized that Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is based on any deal in the national interest of Pakistan.
Fouzia Kufi, a member of the peace negotiating team of the previous government, was one of the other speakers at the summit on the first day. She praised the courage and protest of women against the Taliban regime and emphasized that the women’s protest movement has expanded. According to her, “The Taliban consider women to be a serious challenge to their authoritarian regime, while Afghan women demand the restoration and observance of their fundamental human rights, nothing more.” She emphasized that the world should abandon its double-sided policy regarding the status of women. According to her, Afghan women deserve the rights and status that women have in countries like Qatar. She said in her speech that women should become a central element of change and transformation and be the main partner of politics and power.
However, Mohammad Amin Ahmadi, another member of the former government’s peace negotiation team, said that the only thing the Taliban believe in is a monopoly and the establishment of a system based on extremist and pre-modern ideas.
Neighboring Countries’ Representatives’ Speeches
Farhad Salim, Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, in his speech at this meeting, expressed concern about the increase in terrorist activities in Afghanistan and said that his country condemns the violation of women’s and ethnic rights living in Afghanistan. He emphasized: “We are concerned about the increase in the activity of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan.” According to him, his country’s hosting of this summit is a sign of the peaceful policy of this country in relation to Afghanistan. This official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan has said that the policy of his country is to support the establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
However, Omirtai Bitimov, the former ambassador of Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, announced in his speech that a similar meeting will be held in the near future. He added that in the coming meeting, the situation in Afghanistan will be reviewed with the participation of Afghans, representatives of regional countries, and major world powers.
At the same time, Afrasiab Khattak, the leader of Pakistan’s National Awami Party, said in this meeting that Afghanistan has become a field of strategic competition between great powers. He called the Taliban “extremist and primitive” and emphasized that this group does not have the ability to run a government, therefore it will not last. He has said that he supports the international mechanism with the management of the United Nations to transition from the current crisis and establish a stable and democratic government in Afghanistan.
He added: “Pakistan currently considers Afghanistan as its fifth province, and Afghanistan has become a political and strategic battlefield of great powers.” According to Mr. Khattak, Pakistan’s macro and basic policies are determined by the army, and “when Pakistan becomes democratic, peace will be established in Afghanistan.”
In, Mohammad Ali Bahmani Qajari, an Iranian researcher, said in the meeting: “Iran was on the side of the West during the Cold War, because it was worried about the spread of communism in the region.” After the Ben Accords, Iran played a constructive role and supported the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He added that Iran’s relationship with the Afghan government has deteriorated after the signing of the security agreement with the US, and Ashraf Ghani’s “water versus oil” policy has fueled the tension between Iran and the Afghan government. According to him, the rule of the Taliban has not led to the establishment of peace and stable government, and his country supports the establishment of a cooperative and stable government in Afghanistan.
Western Countries’ Representative Speeches
Thomas Nicholson, the EU’s special representative for Afghanistan, said during his speech: “Our political interaction with the Taliban is one of the elements of our policy in relation to Afghanistan. We are also active in the field of humanitarian aid and have donated hundreds of millions of euros through the United Nations to help the humanitarian crisis.” He added: “Our position regarding the systematic exclusion of women from the public sphere is clear. We are very concerned and more measures should be taken to improve the status of women. The Taliban have a responsibility to protect and respect women’s rights. “Women’s rights are not a Western issue, but the presence of women is important for the economy, progress, and stability of a country.”
Meanwhile, Karen, the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, considered the Herat Security Dialogue “a great opportunity to exchange views with the representatives of the countries of the region and the European Union” about the situation in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, November 29, she wrote in a tweet that she participated in the 10th Herat Security Dialogue in Tajikistan and wants to reiterate her country’s firm support for the people of Afghanistan.
Participants of Herat Security Dialogue
In the summit, speakers and participants from different countries of the world, including regional countries, were present. The organizers of this meeting have told the media that the Taliban were also invited to this event, but they did not send a representative. The Taliban have told the media that any meeting that benefits the citizens of the country is appreciated and the group supports the initiatives.
Participants – Former Government Officials
Rangin Dadfar Sapenta, Foreign Minister and former National Security Adviser, Zalmi Rasool, current Ambassador and former Foreign Minister, Rahmatullah Nabil, former Head of National Security, Manijeh Bakhtari, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Austria, Nazifullah Shahrani, professor at Indiana University of the United States, Sayed Tayeb Javad, The former ambassador of Afghanistan in Russia, Fawzia Kofi and Mohammad Amin Ahmadi, members of the peace negotiating team of the former government, Mohammad Alam Izdiyar, the first deputy of the former Senate and a number of other political and media figures are among the participants representing the views of the former government of Afghanistan.
Participants – Neighboring, Western Nations and International Community Representatives
Karen Dicker, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Afghanistan, Thomas Nicholson, Special Representative of the European Union for Afghanistan, General Nikolai Plotinkov, Head of the Scientific and Analytical Information Center of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, General Asad Durrani, former Director of ISI, Suhasini Haider, Editor of Hindu Diplomacy Afrasiab Khattak, the leader of Awami National Party of Pakistan, Ayesha Siddiqui, an expert on South Asian issues, as well as a number of diplomats and representatives of non-governmental organizations from America and Europe, as well as a number of European and American journalists who follow Afghanistan issues, are present in this meeting.
Sidelines of the Summit
Ismail Khan, one of the jihadist leaders from Mashhad, was not allowed by the Iranian government, and Mohsen Davar, a member of the Pakistani parliament, to participate in this meeting. Also, this meeting has faced many adventures. One of the side effects of this meeting was the use of the term “Emirate” by Maryam Vardak, the host of the meeting, which disappointed a number of participants. Subscribers asked her not to use this term for the Taliban. Maryam Vardak, when Mohammad Hanif Atmar worked as Mr. Ghani’s national security advisor, was his advisor in the National Security Council.
The summit under the title “Inclusive Political System, Patterns and Roadmap”, was held on Tuesday, November 29, in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. A number of former Afghan politicians, representatives of civil society, academic figures, media representatives, diplomats, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from the European Union, America, Pakistan, India, and Tajikistan were present in this meeting. Dr. Davoud Moradian, the head of the Institute of Strategic Studies of Afghanistan, told Hasht-e Subh: “This is the first international meeting hosted and initiated by an organization from Afghanistan, the purpose of which is to enable grounds for dialogue between Afghan personalities, representatives, and experts of relevant countries on the issue of Afghanistan.”
Amin Kawa-Senior Reporter and Analyst, Hasht-e Subh Daily