KABUL (SW) – Uzbekistan has offered to host direct talks for peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the historic city of Tashkent.
A delegation from Uzbekistan, headed by Viktor Mahmudov, National Security Adviser, along with the Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and other officials called on President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at the presidency today.
President Ghani has welcomed the growing regional cooperation that can promote stability. “President Ghani also appreciated the readiness of Uzbekistan to host peace talks, saying that Samarkand is a common cultural heritage of the two countries”, a statement by the presidency stated.
The government in Uzbekistan under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has expressed keen interest in the Afghan peace process as a neutral mediator.
This comes as the Taliban have so far shown no willingness to hold direct talks with the Kabul government which is reportedly busy in consultation to form a comprehensive and inclusive peace team.
ENDS
