Alwaght- Turkey has been more active in Afghanistan for some time now, following a change in the US position in negotiations with the Taliban and the inclusion of regional countries close to it to reach a conclusion. In this connection, Istanbul is expected to hold a meeting in less than two weeks to follow the peace process in Afghanistan.
The Istanbul-hosted meeting is proposed by the US and Zamay Khalilzad, the Department of State's special representative to Afghanistan peace process, has entrusted Turkey with the fresh initiative for what Washington calls the push to get out of the Afghanistan deadlock.
The Afghan government, which previously had strongly opposed holding a peace conference in Turkey and the formation of an interim government, has now expressed interest in attending, Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Moheb told a news conference in Kabul. "Kabul is attending Turkey and Moscow-hosted conferences," he added.
Failure of Doha Talks
The forthcoming meeting in Istanbul is an American plan devised by President Joe Biden administration. This is while over the past few months, Washington peace talks with the Taliban on the one hand and with the Kabul government on the other hand have been pursued under the Trump initiative, which has so far has been unfruitful. Glaringly apparent, the US shift to Istanbul bears hallmarks of collapse of Doha process which has been working for two years. On the other side, the Biden administration since its start has been reluctant to pursue peace talks with Taliban with Trump fashion in Qatar, and several times announced intention to review Trump-Taliban peace plan.
Under the Trump plan, the US pledged to pull out its troops from Afghanistan on a short-term timetable, but the Democratic administration opposes the exit and therefore considers Trump's previous plan with the Taliban unfinished and invalid. In other words, Biden intends to violate the deal and keep his forces. Istanbul summit actually is tasked with setting up barriers to the US exit. The new summit can be called an admission to Qatar process collapse.
US play with Afghanistan card
The Americans play with Afghanistan cards wherever they wish. It is interesting to know that over the past years, Turkey has not been an active and determining actor in Afghanistan developments. But now it has become a host to one of Afghanistan’s most important meetings, at the US suggestion. In fact, by arranging Afghanistan peace talks in Turkey, the White House tries to bring Turkey into the Afghan game in order to, as it thinks, give the Turks a privilege.
Erdogan's government has cold ties with the new US administration, and now the Biden administration is trying to create a playing field for the Turks in Afghanistan, instead of competing with Western and European allies in the Mediterranean, to compete in Central Asia as Russia's backyard. Flexing muscles in Central Asia and vying with Moscow is the American leaders' favorite. Afghanistan can provide an appropriate field for Turkey to get a toehold in Central Asian equations in rivalry against Russia.
Lame-legged Istanbul summit
Regardless of all, it should not be ignored that Istanbul meeting is lame in its leg even before its start. It is predicted to bring nothing, therefore.
The initial criticism of meeting was made by Ahmad Wali Massoud, the former Afghan ambassador to Britain and the current head of the Ahmad Shah Massoud Foundation. He described the meeting as important, but said: "Unfortunately, in the US State Department message, only the Taliban emirate and President Ghani’s republic, have been mentioned as the main parties to the Istanbul talks, and no mention has been made of other ethnic groups in the country, as well as the main party to the conflict, the national resistance."
These comments very well display the degree of the fragility and inconsistency of the Istanbul summit, as Washington closes its eyes to significance of other ethnic groups and political parties.
While the home differences and disputes are now even deeper than before in Afghanistan, there is question about the Istanbul meeting's capability to settle them. The answer is negative, because Istanbul summit not going to be inclusive and host all Afghan factions. With the internal differences intensifying, the new meeting can hardly cut Afghanistan's Gordian knot.
