Intra-Afghan talks to be held in Doha next Week: Khalilzad

US special representative on the Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad said that intra-Afghan dialogue will be held in Doha next week as the seventh round of US-Taliban talks continues in Qatar.

US special representative on the Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad said that intra-Afghan dialogue will be held in Doha next week as the seventh round of US-Taliban talks continues in Qatar.
“I want to thank Germany and Qatar for agreeing to host the upcoming July 7-8 intra-Afghan dialogue conference,” Mr Khalilzad twitted Monday. Adding that “this dialogue is an essential element of the four-part peace framework and an important step in advancing the Afghan peace process.”

This comes as Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a manifesto that the group will not talk with Kabul as a government.
“Talks with the Afghan side will begin after the announcement of a withdrawal timetable for foreign troops in the presence of international witnesses, but not with the Kabul administration as a government,” Shaheen said.

Khalilzad, however, believes that “mutual acceptance, seeking consensus, and agreeing to resolve political differences without force is what is needed to learn from the tragedy of the last 40 years.”
Talks between US and Taliban delegation in Doha entered its fourth day on Tuesday.