Priority is to end Afghan war, peace negotiations will continue: White House

The White House has reacted to the developments in Afghanistan even as the Arab divide seems to shadow the Afghan peace talks.

White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders in a briefing said, "Our priority is to end the war in Afghanistan and to ensure there is never a base for terrorism in Afghanistan again. Negotiations are going to continue.''

But the Arab divide is looming large on the Afghan peace talks.

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The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna lashed out at Qatar for hosting "terrorists". Doha last week hosted the US Taliban talks.

He said, "Qataris are hosting terrorist and exporting terrorist from there country. Terrorist are graduates of Guantanamo."

Adding, "Qatar supports extremism and continues to interfere in internal affairs of other states. Qatar represents a threat"

It's interesting to add that Abu Dhabi had also hosted US-Taliban talks.

UAE along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Senegal, Jordan, Djibouti severed ties with Qatar in 2017. Currently, Qatari planes and ships are denied airspace and sea route to these countries.

The Afghan peace talks are expected to pave way for American troops to leave the country after 17 years. Stakes seem to be high and experts say dealing with Taliban will require a lot of patience.

India's former Ambassador to Afghanistan, Amar Sinha reacting to US Taliban Pact told WION, "We have seen only the outlines of a framework agreement and have also heard US Special Representative say that "nothing is agreed till everything is agreed". But we all know "the devil is in the details."

Speaking to WION, Michael Kugelman South Asia senior associate at The Wilson Centre said, "It’s a big deal because it represents the first formal attempt to chart a way forward. There have been many meetings between the US and Taliban in the past, but not until now have they formally pledged to address each other’s demands. Could all this progress come crashing down? Certainly. At the end of the day, if the Taliban doesn’t like what’s on the table, it could easily break off the dialogue and fully redirect its attention to the battlefield. That’s why the talks that take place in the coming days will need to be carried out carefully."

India is cautiously watching the developments but so far hasn't reacted. The Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib was in Delhi in early January.

India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met the Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani in Samarkand, Uzbekistan a few weeks ago on the sidelines of first India Central Asia dialogue.

Talking about India, Kugelman said, "For India, these talks are a reminder that its say in Afghanistan’s future, at least for now, is limited. India is a key regional player. But for now, it is left on the outside looking in and hoping that the result, whatever it is, doesn’t risk further instability for its Afghan friend."