MONITORING (SW) \u2013 The U.S. has welcomed the formation and the first Leadership Committee meeting of the Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, said an official statement.<\/p>\n
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that this\u00a0inclusive\u00a0body will provide counsel and guidance to the Islamic Republic (Afghan government) negotiating team\u00a0with the Taliban\u00a0on the terms of an agreement on a political roadmap, power-sharing,\u00a0and a permanent ceasefire to end the country\u2019s long war.<\/p>\n
Separately, the top U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said in a series of tweets that Afghans are coming together and taking steps to make progress toward peace. \u201cThe Afghan people have been yearning for peace. The steps taken in recent days are positive and hopeful. I urge both sides to accelerate their peace efforts to end the country\u2019s long war\u201d, tweeted Khalilzad.<\/p>\n
He said this committee will be an authoritative body for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as it negotiates the terms of a peace agreement, power-sharing, and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire with the Taliban.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe gathering of political leaders across the political spectrum is an important step\u201d, he tweeted.<\/p>\n
A day earlier, months after its formation, the High Council of National Reconciliation held its maiden meeting at the presidency in Kabul under joint chairmanship of its chairman Abdullah Abdullah and President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.<\/p>\n
The moot was attended by political leaders, party leaders, senior parliamentarians, and representatives of civil society and women.<\/p>\n
The HCNR was established in late May this year with the signing of a political agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival candidate Abdullah Abdullah. However, the council had not yet met since then. It currently has some 45 members.<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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