MONITORING (SW) – The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has called for the need of permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan.
He raised this issue during a meetingt with Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation on Thursday. “Great meeting with @US4AfghanPeace Ambassador Khalilzad to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan: continuing to protect the U.S. against the threat of terrorism, achieving a just and durable political settlement there, and cementing a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”, he tweeted after the meeting.
On his part, Khalilzad said the two discussed the focus on conditions-based strategy ‘that brings peace to Afghanistan, secures a stable future for its citizens, and prevents anyone from using Afghanistan to threaten the United States and our allies’.
This follows President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani having a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the peace process last month.
The presidency said in a statement that the US Secretary of State expressed concern and condemned the increase in violence and targeted assassinations in Afghanistan. It added the US Secretary of State praised the sacrifices made by the Afghan security and defense forces and said that he was working to ensure lasting and meaningful peace in Afghanistan and to help establish a ceasefire.
According to the State Department, Blinken talked about the US commitment to an enduring US-Afghan partnership, said spokesperson Ned Price in a statement. “The Secretary highlighted robust diplomatic support for the peace process focused on helping the parties to the conflict achieve a durable and just political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire that benefits all Afghans,” said the statement.
The Taliban reached an agreement with Washington last February, promising to end the war in Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees
ENDS
