By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

In a warm and open offer for peace to a longtime adversary, Afghan president on Wednesday called on the Taliban to shun violence and become a political party.

Ashraf Mohammad Ghani outlined his government’s comprehensive peace strategy towards the Taliban at the Kabul Process international conference, which was attended by representatives of more than 20 countries and international organizations. He said the offer for peace is unconditional.

Highlighting the contours of a potential peace deal, Ghani said the Constitution will be held supreme, guaranteeing the rights of Afghan citizens, especially women, and no armed group with ties to foreign terrorist organizations will be allowed in Afghanistan.

For confidence-building measures, the president said a cease-fire will be enforced, a political framework will be established, and steps will be taken to free Taliban prisoners as well as lift sanctions imposed on the group. The president underlined the need to re-integrate the Taliban in the political and economic spheres while stressing the importance of international backing for the course.

“To give assurances to Pakistan in the interests of a stable Afghanistan, state-to-state talks will be initiated, and joint and coordinated efforts to support the proposed talks with the Taliban,” he said in regard to neighboring Pakistan, which is believed to have significant clout with the Taliban.

He also called on Pakistan to hold government-to-government talks, saying: “We will be ready to starts talks with Pakistan and forget the past and start a new chapter.”

Ghani also said the Afghan government will provide passports to Taliban members and their families and will issue visas and open an office for them -- even in the capital Kabul -- and will also work to lift sanctions from Taliban leaders.

On the eve of this significant conference, the Taliban issued a statement, the second of its kind in a month, highlighting their willingness to reach a peaceful settlement via negotiations specifically with the U.S.

It called on American officials “to talk directly” to the Taliban on a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary. “It would help to find a solution if America accepts the legitimate demands of the Afghan people and forwards its own concerns and requests for discussion … through peaceful channels,” it added.

There has been a sharp rise in violence across Afghanistan since the announcement of a new U.S. war strategy last summer, with militants increasingly targeting capital Kabul and the U.S. and Afghan forces intensifying air-and-ground offensives against the militants.

The statement marked a shift from the Taliban’s previous assertion it would only hold peace talks once foreign troops leave.

Joint declaration

At the end of the second Kabul Process conference here on Wednesday, a declaration was issued on behalf of the high-level representatives from the region, members of the international community, and international organizations.

It reaffirmed that the Kabul Process must lead to the renunciation of violence and breaking of all ties to international terrorism, as well as respect for the equal rights of all Afghans, including women, under the Afghan Constitution.

“We reiterate our continued support to the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process, and collectively agree that direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban -- without any preconditions and without the threats of violence -- constitute the most viable way to end the ongoing agony of the Afghan people.”

Among others foreign diplomatic missions, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan commended the stated preparedness of Afghan authorities to discuss all issues as part of a peace process, including such key aspects as the Constitution and the lifting of sanctions against persons and entities, as well as the release of prisoners.

“The conference brought together all of Afghanistan’s neighboring states, along with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and other parties, to establish a consensus among regional and international stakeholders on the imperative for an Afghan-led peace process,” it said in a statement issued after the conference.

The next meeting of Kabul Process is set to assess the progress achieved on the above-mentioned areas.

This declaration was adopted by Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden (Nordic Plus), Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, United States, EU, NATO and UN.