The US peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, arrived in Kabul on Sunday to brief Afghan leaders on the latest international efforts to restart the Afghan peace talks. This is his first trip to Kabul since US President Trump ended talks with the Taliban in early September.
Khalilzad met with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday and they discussed the peace talks, Abdullah’s office said in a statement.
“Both sides declared that peace is the priority of the people and the government of Afghanistan,” the statement said, and the meeting “emphasized lasting peace, a reduction of violence, and a ceasefire for the intra-Afghan talks.”
Abdullah and Khalilzad discussed transparency in the presidential election, and the need for the Independent Election Commission to maintain independence and impartiality.
Khalilzad will also meet with other political leaders to discuss the peace process.
The talks were halted by Trump last month following the death of a US soldier and 11 other people in a Taliban suicide attack in Kabul.
Khalilzad has recently met with representatives from China, Russia, Pakistan as well as the EU and UN, among others, in preparation for a new peace settlement attempt.
