US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who visited Kabul on a multi-nation trip last week, says US wants peace in Afghanistan as he mentioned that he is responding to cocnerns which say that United States is both willing to further the peace process and fight against militants in the country.
“I see that many are concerned that the United States is willing to both talk and fight. Let me be clear: the US wants #peace,” Khalilzad tweeted.
Khalilzad said US is ready to address legitimate concerns of all Afghan sides in the peace process.
“To achieve peace, we are ready to address legitimate concerns of all #Afghan sides in a process that ensures #Afghan independence & sovereignty, and accounts for legitimate interests of regional states. Urgent that fighting end. But pursuing peace still means we fight as needed,” he said in a tweet.
On Jan. 16, Taliban warned to pull out of further peace talks with US officials and called “tactical pressure” by Washington as a reason behind their decision.
Taliban said they agreed in Doha to hold discussions on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, but now the US is pushing the issue away and adding something new to the agenda.
Taliban threatened that if this happens, they will suspend any peace talks with the US.
Following Taliban’s remarks, Khalilzad went to Pakistan on Thursday where he met Pakistan officials including Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Islamabad said Pakistan has promised Khalilzad to support Afghan peace talks, and later, Pakistani media reported that Islamabad will host peace talks between US and Taliban representatives.
Reacting to the news, Taliban said the reports about Islamabad talks are just rumors and that they will not hold talks there.
