Khalilzad Arrives Kabul to Discuss Peace

US Special Envoy on Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad arrived on Tuesday morning in Kabul to meet Afghan leaders on peace process, sources from high council for national reconciliation said.
After visiting Pakistani Officials, including Pakistan’s chief of army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday, the US envoy arrived in Kabul to discuss the latest developments in the peace process.
During the meeting with General Bajwa, matters of mutual interest including overall regional security situation with particular reference to the ongoing Afghan reconciliation process were discussed.

Meanwhile, according to a statement from US department of state, Zalmay Khalilzad departed for travel to South and Central Asia as well as the Middle East on January 3.
“In Doha he will meet with the two Afghan teams, encourage them, and offer U.S. support to accelerate the peace process — an immediate, significant reduction in violence and ceasefire and an agreement on a political roadmap and power-sharing as soon as possible,” the statement read.

In the region, Khalilzad will encourage Afghanistan’s neighbors to support an end to the violence and a political settlement. In Kabul, he will meet with Afghan leaders and convey U.S. support for the Afghan people and security forces.

Referring to his new round of trips, US envoy twitted that he has returned to Doha and the region with expectations that the parties will make “tangible progress” in the next round of Afghanistan peace negotiations.
“Both sides must demonstrate they are acting in the best interest of the Afghan people by making real compromises and negotiating an agreement on a political settlement as soon as possible and an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire,” he said.

According to him, the current levels of violence, including targeted killings, is unacceptable.
“Those perpetuating the violence seek to undermine the peace process and the country’s future,” Khalilzad added.