Afghan Technocrats Reject Engagement With Taliban At Antalya Conference

During the inaugural session of the Centre for Dialogue and Progress - Geneva "National Dialogue Conference" on Afghanistan, participants unanimously opposed the idea of engaging with the Taliban.

Ismail Miakhel, the ex-director of Afghanistan's National Radio and Television, emphasised at the conference that the Taliban only respond to military force.

The roundtable discussions on the first day focused on governance, civic participation, and the distribution of political power, with a special emphasis on strategies for dealing with the Taliban.

Afghanistan International's correspondent reported that Ismail Miakhel highlighted the necessity of applying both political and economic pressures. He stated, "Should these measures prove ineffective, the military option must remain on the table. To my knowledge, the Taliban have remained unchanged over the past two years, showing no understanding beyond the use of force."

Ali Mohammadi, a former presidential advisor, encouraged open dialogue and interaction with the Taliban, but faced criticism from other participants.

Rahmatullah Yarmal, former governor of Zabul, advocated for continued resistance against the Taliban.

Women at the conference also voiced their concerns about the deteriorating conditions for Afghan women and strongly opposed any form of engagement with the Taliban.

The discussions, held in Dari, Pashto, and Uzbek, are scheduled to continue through Tuesday.