India, Germany, Qatar, Turkey and several other nations have reaffirmed to not recognise any government in Afghanistan that is imposed through the use of military force and called for an immediate end to violence and attacks in the war-torn country.
A statement issued by Qatar on Friday following two separate meetings on Afghanistan in Doha said the participating countries agreed that the Afghan peace process needs to be accelerated as a matter of "great urgency".
The statement came as the Taliban continued its onslaught capturing a number of key cities in the last couple of days including Kandahar and Herat, Afghanistan's second and third largest cities while significantly expanding its territorial control across the country.
It said the participants urged the Taliban and the Afghan government to build trust and accelerate efforts to reach a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire as quickly as possible.
The first meeting on August 19 was joined by the representatives of China, Uzbekistan, the US, Pakistan, the UK, Qatar, the UN and the European Union, the Qatari foreign ministry said.
The second meeting on August 12 was attended by representatives of Germany, India, Norway, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan, the US and the UN, it said.
JP Singh, the Joint Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), represented India at the second meeting hosted by Qatar.
Advertisement"Participants raised grave concerns about reports from across Afghanistan with respect to continued violence, large numbers of civilian casualties and extra-judicial killings, widespread and credible allegations of human rights violations, all attacks (ground and air) against provincial capitals and cities," the Qatari foreign ministry said.
It said the countries reaffirmed that they will not recognise any government in Afghanistan that is imposed through the use of military force.
Advertisement"Participants committed to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan once a viable political settlement is reached following good faith negotiations between the two sides," the statement said.
The countries also mentioned the converging statements from both sides on "guiding principles" for a political settlement such as inclusive governance, respect for human rights, including the rights of women and minorities, a mechanism to deliver a representative government, a commitment to not allow any individuals or groups to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of other countries and respect for international law.
Advertisement"Participants called on all Afghan sides to act in accordance with these principles and build on them in the future political settlement," the statement said.
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