MONITOERING (SW) – Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, is set to resume peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Ambassador Khalilzad departed on December 3 for travel to Kabul and Doha. In Kabul, Special Representative Khalilzad meet with Afghan government representatives and other Afghan leaders to follow up on President Trump’s recent visit and to discuss how best to support accelerated efforts to get all parties to intra-Afghan negotiations, it said. In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will rejoin talks with the Taliban to discuss steps that could lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and a peaceful settlement of the war, specifically a reduction in violence that leads to a ceasefire, it added.
As per the presidency, President Ashraf Ghani and Ambassador Khalilzad discussed matters related to the Taliban’s hideouts outside Afghanistan as well as the issue of ceasefire. President Ghani asked Ambassador Khalilzad to seriously pursue these two points in taking forward the peace talks.
Ambassador Khalilzad also met Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. As per the CE’s office, Abdullah expressed support for the U.S. Envoy’s efforts.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled the negotiations with the Taliban after nine rounds of talks.
ENDS
