US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has told Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that there is ‘no considerable progress’ in peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar but he is hopeful to reach a conclusion.
Khalilzad travelled to Kabul on Saturday after holding talks with Pakistani civil and military leaders on the country’s role in the peace process, which is facing problems over proposals for a brief ceasefire or reduction in violence. “We are waiting for a clear response from the Taliban about the ceasefire or durable substantial and reduction in violence on the basis of a practical mechanism that is acceptable to the people of Afghanistan and the US administration,” the US envoy said in a meeting with President Ghani, according to an Afghan presidential palace statement posted online.
Khalilzad also shared details of his meetings with the Pakistani officials and said he discussed peace process and the plight of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The US embassy in Islamabad said Khalilzad welcomed Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to support a reduction in violence that will pave the way for a US-Taliban agreement, intra-Afghan negotiations, and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in support of a sustainable peace. “Ambassador Khalilzad also continued to emphasize the economic and security benefits that a lasting peace can bring to the region,” the statement said.
On his part, Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Daily Times that the talks with the US have not stopped but ‘slowly moving ahead’.
Pakistan is also concerned at the problems in the Taliban-US talks as the rivals have failed to remove differences over the definition and details of the ceasefire and reduction in violence. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in meeting with Khalilzad on Friday emphasized the need for early conclusion of negotiations and peace deal in the larger interest of the peace process and for ‘preventing spoilers from playing a negative role’.
