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| Taliban Flag Is Gone in Qatar, but Talks Remain in Doubt | Taliban Flag Is Gone in Qatar, but Talks Remain in Doubt |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — In a possible easing of tensions that have held up an opening for peace talks by American, Afghan and Taliban officials in Qatar, the Afghan government confirmed the complete removal of an objectionable sign, flag and flagpole that had led the Afghan delegation to boycott negotiations. | KABUL, Afghanistan — In a possible easing of tensions that have held up an opening for peace talks by American, Afghan and Taliban officials in Qatar, the Afghan government confirmed the complete removal of an objectionable sign, flag and flagpole that had led the Afghan delegation to boycott negotiations. |
| Still in question, however, is whether the change would be enough for Afghanistan to send its official delegation to Qatar, where American and Taliban officials awaited word. | Still in question, however, is whether the change would be enough for Afghanistan to send its official delegation to Qatar, where American and Taliban officials awaited word. |
| “According to the timely and appropriate and precise position of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Taliban flag has been brought down from the office, the Islamic Emirate sign has been removed and the Qatari police removed the flagpole from the Taliban office,” said a statement released Sunday by the presidential palace, quoting Masoom Stanekzai, a senior member of the Afghan High Peace Council. | “According to the timely and appropriate and precise position of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Taliban flag has been brought down from the office, the Islamic Emirate sign has been removed and the Qatari police removed the flagpole from the Taliban office,” said a statement released Sunday by the presidential palace, quoting Masoom Stanekzai, a senior member of the Afghan High Peace Council. |
| The statement referred to the signs and flag unveiled when the Taliban open their Doha office last week — their first public re-entry on to the international stage in almost 13 years. At the official opening of the office the Taliban had put up signs saying “Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” which is the name they used for their government when they ran Afghanistan, and they raised their white flag with black writing. | The statement referred to the signs and flag unveiled when the Taliban open their Doha office last week — their first public re-entry on to the international stage in almost 13 years. At the official opening of the office the Taliban had put up signs saying “Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” which is the name they used for their government when they ran Afghanistan, and they raised their white flag with black writing. |
| Both gestures, along with their description of the office’s mandate of speaking to foreign governments, suggested that the Taliban were trying to present themselves as an alternative to the Afghan government. | Both gestures, along with their description of the office’s mandate of speaking to foreign governments, suggested that the Taliban were trying to present themselves as an alternative to the Afghan government. |
| Afghan officials were furious and said they would not send their peace delegation to Qatar until the signs and flag were removed. Since then there has been nonstop diplomacy involving senior United States officials and the Qatari government in an effort to rescue the not-yet-started peace process, to give it a chance. | Afghan officials were furious and said they would not send their peace delegation to Qatar until the signs and flag were removed. Since then there has been nonstop diplomacy involving senior United States officials and the Qatari government in an effort to rescue the not-yet-started peace process, to give it a chance. |
| “We will work very hard to recover the promise of the office,” said a Western official in Kabul who is close to the talks. | “We will work very hard to recover the promise of the office,” said a Western official in Kabul who is close to the talks. |
| Although visitors to the Taliban office in Doha noted on Sunday that not only was the foreshortened flag gone, but also its flagpole, just two days ago a defiant Taliban official, speaking from Islamabad, said that the Taliban would keep their own flag and an “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” placard on the walls inside the office and that it wasn’t important that they have them outside where they could be seen by passers-by. | Although visitors to the Taliban office in Doha noted on Sunday that not only was the foreshortened flag gone, but also its flagpole, just two days ago a defiant Taliban official, speaking from Islamabad, said that the Taliban would keep their own flag and an “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” placard on the walls inside the office and that it wasn’t important that they have them outside where they could be seen by passers-by. |
| That could still become an issue, however, if they invite television cameras inside again — as they did at the opening event last Tuesday. | That could still become an issue, however, if they invite television cameras inside again — as they did at the opening event last Tuesday. |
| With the American negotiator James Dobbins in Doha on Sunday and the flag and signs taken down, the conditions for the first round of Taliban-American talks were certainly established, but no one would say whether Mr. Dobbins and the Taliban were talking. | With the American negotiator James Dobbins in Doha on Sunday and the flag and signs taken down, the conditions for the first round of Taliban-American talks were certainly established, but no one would say whether Mr. Dobbins and the Taliban were talking. |
| Mr. Dobbins is expected in Kabul on Monday, however, so if he did meet the Taliban, it was unlikely to have been much more than an introductory session. | Mr. Dobbins is expected in Kabul on Monday, however, so if he did meet the Taliban, it was unlikely to have been much more than an introductory session. |
Sharifullah Sahak contributed reporting. |