Gov’t-Taliban Contact groups Hold first Meeting/ US Khalilzad to visit Pakistan

The first meeting between the contact groups of the Afghan government and the Taliban negotiation team held in Doha and progress were made, according to the members of the Afghan negotiating team.

“In this meeting code of conduct between two sides, schedules of upcoming meetings and relevant issues were discussed and progress were made,” said Nader Naderi, a member of the government’s negotiating team late on Sunday.

The contact groups were made on Saturday to arrange the agenda of direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
M. Masoom Stanekzai, Nader Naderi, Zarar Ahmad Muqbel, Fawzia Koofi, Enayatullah Baligh, Mohammad Nateqi and Khalid Noor were appointed as members of the contact group by the Afghan government.

Taliban also picked Sher M. Abbas Stanekzai, Mawlawi Shahabuddin Delawar, Mullah Noorullah Noori, Mawlawi Abdul Karim and Sheikh Qasim Turkman as members of their contact group.

Meanwhile, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad is arriving in Pakistan today (Monday) to hold meetings with the top Pakistani political and military leadership.
According to reports, he will discuss the next phase of the Afghan peace process.