A major international conference in Kabul on Tuesday ended with an endorsement of Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s plans to make peace with insurgents in an effort to end a nearly nine-year war.
“Participants welcomed and endorsed in principle the Afghan government’s peace and reintegration programme,” said the final communiqué seen by AFP.
Karzai last month won approval from Afghan leaders to start peace talks with insurgent leaders and called on the international community to back his efforts despite at least initial skepticism from the United States.
Karzai’s programme is open to insurgents, “who renounce violence, have no links to international terrorist organisations, respect the constitution and are willing to join in building a peaceful Afghanistan,” the statement noted.
They’ve been pushed against the wall with a writing on it as well that reads “If you can’t beat em then join em.”