Writing in the Asia Times (May 2) former Indian diplomat MK Bhadrakumar wrote on the roadmap reached on April 29, by the United States, Russia, China and Pakistan in consultation with President Ashraf Ghani’s government and the Taliban on the immediate terms for reaching a peace settlement for the way forward. He said the announcement in Doha is in the nature of a joint statement, to be issued in Washington, Moscow, Beijing and Islamabad. It envisages the following features:

i) An orderly withdrawal of foreign troops by September 11 is assured;

ii) During the withdrawal period, the peace process is to continue, no fighting will take place between Afghan parties and a “steady transition of the situation” is to be expected;

iii)The safety of US and NATO troops and foreign embassies and diplomats is to be ensured;

iv) Afghan government counterterrorism operations shall be in cooperation with the international community;

v)The Taliban are to shelve their annual “spring offensive”;

vi) Open engagement between the Kabul administration and the Taliban is visualized;

vii) Any takeover by force by any Afghan party will be unacceptable;

viii) The UN Security Council will review the sanctions against Taliban individuals and assets;

ix) Doha will continue to be the venue of intra-Afghan negotiations;

x The United Nations will have an expanded role to navigate the peace process.

(Comment: The announcement refers to a “neutral and self-sufficient” Afghanistan which, Bhadrakumar feels, is an altogether new formulation, which implies, conceivably, that there shall be no foreign security presence remaining on Afghan soil; Afghanistan shall not join any military alliance or bloc; and future Afghan governments will be committed to the pursuit of independent, non-aligned foreign policies.)