For the first time since seizing power three years ago, the Taliban, whose government is not acknowledged by any country, attended the meetings in Doha.
Rights organizations and activists criticized the Taliban regime for insisting that no members of civil society be present in the same room as the Taliban officials, so leaving out women from Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, representatives of the UN met separately with Afghan civil society groups.
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Has anything changed for Afghanistan in the past three days, as diplomats and media leave the enormous air-conditioned ballrooms of the capital of Qatar?
There were no significant discoveries, no huge revelations, and no answers.
Several diplomats they spoke with described the tone as “respectful,” “engaged,” and “frank.” “This is a process” was the most often used phrase.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, led the group in making no concessions or promises. I asked him what kind of offer the Taliban regime would accept.
“As we move forward, we will ascertain the desires of the global community and our options in light of Sharia law,” he informed us. Anything that contradicts Sharia law will not be discussed. We shall resolve any issue that arises under the Sharia framework. We’ll see where it leads and how much we improve, as it’s a process that will never end.
