Afghan Ambassador Adela Raz Explains Taliban Negotiations

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Do you believe this initial deal in preparation for face-to-face talks between your government and the Taliban is a good step forward?

ADELA RAZ, AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: It absolutely is. Because it’s a country we have been in war for quite some time. And I was raised and born in war and we all understand what exactly it means to lose your beloved ones. So, we are ready. We are ready to end this conflict, to end this war, and this is an important step taken by the U.S. government to open up an opportunity that a few years ago, his excellency, President Ghani, he offered, and he said that Afghanistan and the Afghan government is ready to negotiate and speak with Taliban without any condition. And I think, today, we see the results.

AMANPOUR: Are you concerned, because there are also reports today that there have been some breakdowns in various areas of this so-called reduction? And, notice, we don’t call it a cease-fire. We don’t call it a cessation of hostilities. The best the U.S. has been able to get out of the Taliban is a reduction in violence for a period of a few days. Is it holding, as far as your government is concerned?

RAZ: Well, definitely not as it was before, the seven days ago, and it was expected. It was expected that, after the seven days of the reduction in violence, there will be incidents. And — but we’re optimistic. And we’re hopeful, because that’s the main reason we wanted to start a negotiation with Taliban, to end the violence, to end the conflict in the country. And an increase in violence would not be a good indication of the genuine commitment the Taliban expresses that they have towards peace in Afghanistan. So, an increase would be something that — it will alarm us, it will alarm our allies and our strategic partners, which is the U.S. as well.