KABUL (SW) – The Taliban negotiators and United States officials meeting in Qatar on Saturday finalized clauses to be included in a draft agreement to end the 17-year-old Afghan war, the Reuters reported.
Details provided by the sources to Reuters include apparent concessions from both sides, with foreign forces to be withdrawn from the country in 18 months from the future signing of the deal. U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is heading to Afghan capital Kabul to brief President Ashraf Ghani after the end of the six-day talks, the sources and a diplomat said.
The report added It is unclear whether a joint statement will be issued, or whether the provisions have been fully accepted by the U.S. side.
Wahed Mujda, an expert on the political affairs and former Taliban-era official, said the Taliban have debated and agreed upon the matters of withdrawal of foreign troops as well as assurance of Afghanistan not posing threat to any other country. He said the Taliban are seeking an international guarantee.
In the meantime, Akbar Agha, a former Taliban-era official said the timetable for the exit of foreign troops as well as the matter of international guarantee for the agreement. He added the Taliban are still suspicious about the U.S. pledges, and that is why seeking an international guarantee.
Akbar Agha further said the Taliban want a reputed international body such as the UN Security Council to ensure this agreement is not forged. This former Taliban-era official said the U.S. is pushing hard to kick-start intra-Afghan talks.
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