US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad seemed confident about progress in peace talks with the Taliban, as he concluded visit to Kabul where he apprised the Afghan leaders of his recent meetings in Qatar.
“We’re approaching an important stage in the #AfghanPeaceProcess. Wrapped up two days of consultations in #Kabul. Productive trip,” Khalilzad said in a Twitter post after he discussed the possible ceasefire with President Ghani amid stalled talks with the Taliban.
The US envoy said he discussed efforts to achieve reduced violence and pave the way to intra-Afghan negotiations with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai, Hizb-e-ISalmi chief Hekmatyar, Karzai and briefed them about his recent talks with the Taliban and also Pakistani leaders in Islamabad.
The US envoy said last week that he has taken a “brief pause” for the Taliban to consult their leadership about reduction in violence after a group of Taliban fighters launched an attack on the Bagram airfield, killing two people and injuring nearly 70 others.
Expressing “outrage” about the attack he had pressed the Taliban to show they are willing and able to respond to Afghan desire for peace.
On his part Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen had said Taliban negotiators had sought a break for few days to consult leadership.
Ghani’s office said the central issue of the president’s talks with Khalilzad was how to secure a ceasefire and address to the “Taliban’s safe havens outside Afghanistan.”
Presidential Palace tweeted that Ghani expressed concern over the Taliban’s continued violence and reiterated that the Afghan people and government want peace.
Taliban infiltrators killed at least 25 security personnel at a military base in the eastern Ghazni province late Friday, according to Afghan officials.
Last week, a Taliban-linked Afghan policeman killed seven security officers at a checkpoint in southern Zabul province. Presidential spokesman Sediq Seddiqi wrote on Twitter that Khalilzad briefed the President on his latest visits to Doha and Islamabad related to peace efforts.
Both sides expressed the hope that a cease-fire would first take place to secure peace in Afghanistan.
Dr Abdullah said a set of key issues were discussed during Khalilzad’s productive meeting with his political leadership team.
“US-Talib talks update, mechanisms for reducing violence & ceasefire scenarios, Counter Terrorism, regional dynamics, inter-Afghan dialogue planning and election credibility,” came under discussion, he wrote on Twitter.
The US envoy also met former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and discussed the Afghan peace process and efforts for the future, Karzai’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.
As the US and Afghan government pushing the Taliban for reduction in violence and ceasefire, a Taliban official says Khalilzad had suggested a 10-day symbolic ceasefire before returning to the table. “Taliban representatives will share Khalilzad’s proposals with the leaders for a formal response to the US side,” a Taliban leader, who was informed about the recent negotiations, said. Taliban say they would declare a ceasefire with the US and its NATO allies after the peace agreement is signed, which both sides had finalized in August at the conclusion of the ninth round of talks. President Donald Trump’s abruptly called off talks in September that blocked signing of the anxiously-awaited deal that will end the longest American war.
