Khalilzad Embarked on his 7th Round of Talks
Khalilzad Embarked on his 7th Round of Talks US special representative on Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad left Washington Friday for the seventh round of peace talks in a bid to end the Afghan conflict, the US state department said in a statement.
Khalilzad Embarked on his 7th Round of Talks US special representative on Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad left Washington Friday for the seventh round of peace talks in a bid to end the Afghan conflict, the US state department said in a statement.
“After two weeks in Washington, I’m back on the road,” Khalilzad twitted late Saturday, saying that integrating regional and international support for peace and bringing the first two parts of peace framework to closure are specific during this round of talks.
“Zalmay Khalilzad will travel to Afghanistan, Belgium, Germany, Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates … as part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that ends the conflict in Afghanistan,” said the statement.
According to Khalilzad, The Taliban leader’s Eid statement provides some welcome support for the Afghan peace process and a desire to participate in dialogue with other Afghans and in a final political settlement that will require power sharing.
In Kabul, Special Representative Khalilzad will consult with the Afghan government and other Afghans, including representatives of civil society and women’s rights groups, to encourage all parties to work towards intra-Afghan negotiations that lead to a final peace settlement.
“He will work to build international support for the Afghan peace process and endeavor to ensure that any peace settlement reached will be sustainable,” the statement added.
At the same time, Mr Khalilzad criticized the Taliban statement, saying that the statement’s bombastic tone is unnecessary and only serves to complicate and disrupt as we advance peace talks.
“The statement suggests the US seeks violence. We do not. The level of violence in Afghanistan is unacceptable and we have no desire to perpetuate it,” he added.
However, In Doha, he will continue talks with the Taliban to move the peace process forward.
