Farid Zikria 'optimistic about talks with Taliban'

“This is a very crucial period, it’s make or break for us,” said ex-Afghanistan Ambassador to the UAE, Farid Zikria, warning of the difficulties in the period leading to elections in April 2014 and the evolution of the next political phase in Afghanistan.

Gulf News held an exclusive interview with Zikria, who served as the first fully fledged Afghan Ambassador to the UAE, from the end of 2004 to the middle of 2009. Zikria is now an active participant in the political process and is working closely with Sardar Mohammad Nadir Naim, who is contesting the presidential election in April 2014. Sardar Naim is the grandson of ex-Afghan King Zahir Shah and also of Sardar Naim, a former foreign minister who was the brother of Sardar Daud Khan, Afghanistan’s well-respected prime minister and president who paid for his life for resisting communism.

The ex-ambassador spoke in detail about the current political situation in Afghanistan, the dismal state of governance, talks with the Taliban and why he thinks that negotiations between them and other insurgent groups have a good chance of succeeding, provided they are conducted with a new government that they can trust.

Gulf News: How important is the upcoming election in creating a stable political environment?

Farid Zikria: As you know, in 2014 we will have elections. President Karzai’s tenure ends in six months so a new president will be elected. We are going through a crucial time in our history. If we have a successful election that can be accepted by the people, and by the various political groups in the country, then we will be on the right track. If the government stays out of everyday politics, does not play its hands in the election, then we will have a successful one, but if government does play a role behind the curtain and wants to promote their own candidate, then I fear we are facing dark days.

GN: Is there an interim set-up in Afghanistan, to avoid any chances of interference by the political administration appointed by the outgoing government?

FZ: Unfortunately we don’t have such a set-up. One of the drawbacks of this process is that we don’t have an interim one so the current government proceeds and has all the power to manipulate the process. That is why we are all worried about the future of Afghanistan. but President Karzai, in several speeches, has promised the nation that he will stay out of the process and we hope to take him for his word. In the last election, in the Independent Election Commission there were several UN members but this time there are none, so this is another worry for us that there are no independent monitors. The system has not been corrected based on what happened in the 2009 election.

GN: Tell us about Sardar Nadir Naim and how he came to make his entry into politics.

FZ: Unfortunately, among the current leaders, we have personalities, whether in the government or opposition, who have been unable to provide a peace plan to reach a settlement with the Taliban. Knowing that peace is the most important element, I came to the conclusion that none of the existing leaders can bring peace to the country. The only viable alternative solution is to bring someone from a well-known and well-respected family, from ex-king Zahir Shah’s family or ex-PM Daud Khan’s family, who can bridge the gap. Sardar Nadir Naim is the grandson of ex-king Zahir Shah and grandson of Daud Khan. He can be a leader who the nation can look at as a symbol of uniting the nation and to bring peace to Afghanistan. We have received very positive signals from the Taliban as well. As you may know, Sardar Daud Khan was considered as the leader who started the jihad against communism, so by shedding his blood and his family’s blood, he was the first who started the jihad because he did not agree with the communists and resisted them. So Daud Khan is very well respected among the Afghan tribes, Pashtuns and non-Pashtuns and the Taliban. Same thing with the ex king, the father of the nation, Zahir Shah.

GN: How is Sardar Nadir Naim’s candidacy viewed among the people and is he open to a coalition with other politicians to gain support?

FZ: The elders of different tribes came together and had meetings with members of the ex-king’s family and they proposed that someone from the family should contest the election. The difference between Sardar Naim and other candidates is the same reason why Zahir Shah ruled Afghanistan for so many years in a peaceful way and the reason why the country turned from being a peaceful nation into something now considered hell. The people were very close to their leaders back then, to Zahir Shah and Sardar Daud. Elders of the tribes were considered very close to the leaders, that’s why they ruled Afghanistan the way they did. The reason we are at this stage is because there is a big gap between people and current leaders. Sardar Naim’s selection as candidate was made by the people. We started with the people, two meetings took place in Kabul, the first called ‘Peoples Voice Jirga’, in which over 2,500 Afghans from different parts of the country, including elders, women and the young participated in the meeting. The decision of the Jirga was that Sardar Naim or someone from the family should lead a movement where people will have a voice in the decision making of the government. Then about two weeks ago another meeting was held in Kabul with over 600 representatives of different tribes/ethnicities in Kabul, and that movement, called ‘Peoples Voice Movement’, was created and Sardar Naim’s candidacy was approved by over 600 people, from 34 provinces, that had come. He is a candidate chosen by the representatives of the people. He wants people with him in every decision-making process, this is his goal. Sardar Naim gave a vow to the people that he will not deal with any other political group without getting their approval. One of the reasons why we are here today is because of what these politicians have done. We will be talking to other groups but not dealing with other groups for the sake of power.

GN: How would the country be rid of corruption when policies aiming at its eradication are opposed by people within the government?

FZ: President Karzai did say that his hands were tied, because he selected his team from among people that are basically involved in some illegal activities. Some of the major candidates today are selected vice-presidents from such categories of people. But we selected our VPs very carefully, who have not had any record of corruption. So our team will be formed of individuals who have never participated in illegal activities. We want a clean team to start with, this is our promise to our countrymen and women.

GN: Do you think negotiations with the Taliban will produce a political solution since it may entail an agreement requiring the government to share power with them?

FZ: I am very positive we can strike a deal with the Afghan Taliban groups based on information we received, that they will be ready to negotiate peace with the type of government they can trust — this is very important for them. Unfortunately, we have seen they cannot trust the current government and that is why we haven’t had any success in bringing peace to Afghanistan. But I am optimistic in a way that the Taliban of today are not the same as of 10 or 12 years back. They have changed their views on several issues. We do have a red line where some achievements of the last 10 to 12 years are concerned, we cannot ignore them. There has been a big change within the Taliban movement where they recognise the importance of the international community, dealing with other nations, they understand that the Afghan nation is formed of different ethnicities and over 99 per cent are Muslim but practice Islam differently. I think it’s well understood within the Taliban movement — it won’t be difficult to negotiate with them as it would have been 10-12 years ago.