WASHINGTON: US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad is heading to Doha, Qatar today for more talks with the Taliban as signs of a possible Afghanistan peace deal emerge.
After talks in Doha, Khalilzad will travel to Kabul where he is scheduled to consult with the leadership of the Afghan government on the peace process and encourage full preparation for intra-Afghan negotiations.
A relevant piece published earlier:
DOHA: Today, the 8th round of US-Taliban peace talks commences here.
According to sources privy to NPTV, since a peace agreement is expected at th end of this round of parleys, this phase is the most important of negotiations to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.
US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad took to the twitter to maintain that they were pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement and US presence in Afghanistan was conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based.
He maintained that US was ready for a good agreement as Taliban were signaling that they would like to conclude an agreement.
US diplomat took to the Twitter to hold: “Peace will require reliable assurances from Afghanistan and Pakistan that neither side’s territory is used to threaten the other. Such assurances on top of an intra-Afghan comprehensive peace agreement will allow increased regional economic integration, connectivity and development…I’m off to Doha, with a stop in Islamabad. In Doha, if the Taliban do their part, we will do ours, and conclude the agreement we have been working on… The Taliban are signaling they would like to conclude an agreement, We are ready for a good agreement”.
