Bonn II: Another unsuccessful experience

IRD: What is the place of the Bonn II Conference in the future of Afghanistan and how is it important?

ET: The conference is a continuation of a series of meetings beginning at Bonn, and later Istanbul, London and Kabul. Some experts argue that the last two meetings did not lead to a result and the current one held in Bonn will not have any particular outcome either, since it lacks any organized agenda. Putting negotiations with the Taliban on the Bonn II agenda was advocated for long. Later on, due to the developments in Afghanistan, especially the assassination of the late Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghan President Hamid Karzai adopted contradictory positions: initially, it was announced that negotiations with extremists would continue, later, it was announced that they would be put on a moratorium. Ultimately, after the Kabul meeting, they tried to justify the move and continue the talks.

Reconstructing Afghanistan has been a major goal followed by the international community and trans-regional countries since 2001. While the international community claims to be pursuing collection of more financial aid to continue reconstruction, their conduct in Afghanistan is a matter of doubt. For whatever reason, in the last ten years it was not possible for the international community in to produce certain results regarding its promises to Afghanistan, achieving almost nothing except for the reconstruction measures taken by Iran and some other countries.

IRD: Pakistan has boycotted the Bonn II meeting. Could its absence affect the negotiations?

ET: The Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs was quoted saying that it was not possible for the country to be effective in Afghanistan when it has failed to guarantee its own security. Assuming that its remarks were conveyed correctly, it seems that Pakistan has refused to join the conference knowing that it won’t be assigned a significant role; or it could be that Islamabad has declined joining Bonn II to soothe public anger with the US’ recent assault, which led to the deaths of nearly 30 members of the Pakistani military, and the disclosed letter of its ambassador to Washington calling for help to curb the Pakistani military’s influence. But at any rate, the whole issue of holding Bonn II fails to prove itself, so Pakistan’s absence is not something to worry about.

IRD: Then why have the Iranians participated in the conference?

ET: Afghanistan’s neighbors worry about the changes in the country, so they are entitled to participate in the conference to know the latest developments. However, Iran’s negative or positive influence in Afghanistan is not determined by its participation in such a conference. These meetings are not like a feast; they need initial preparation carried out several months before the inauguration of the conference. I think Iran is participating in order not to miss the latest issues; otherwise, Afghanistan’s problems cannot be resolved in a single sitting.