The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad on Friday met Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s Envoy for Afghanistan, and discussed the Afghan peace talks.
Khalilzad said they agreed that all-inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue is essential to advance peace efforts.
“To move forward, Afghans should name a unified, inclusive and national negotiating team that includes the Afghan government and other Afghans,” he said.
Khalilzad and Kabulov also discussed travel barriers to Taliban.
“We will explore options for securing UN travel waivers for Taliban negotiators to participate in peace talks,” Khalilzad said.
The US envoy said they also agreed that “any final agreement must guarantee that Afghan soil is never used by international terrorists against any country”.
“Also discussed a potential regional framework to coordinate efforts for peace and deter spoilers,” Khalilzad said.
During his trip to Kabul last week, Khalilzad called on Afghan government to form an inclusive and national negotiating team.
The Afghan government has already has formed a team, but Khalilzad says new figures show be included to make it inclusive and national.
Khalilzad and Kabulov’s agreement made after the US has been in talks with the Taliban for four times over the Afghan peace and the fifth round is scheduled for February 25 in Qatar.
Sources say that a number of Taliban members who are sanctioned will not participate in the upcoming Qatar talks.
On early February, a number of Afghan politicians and representatives of the Taliban met in Moscow in absence of the government.
The Afghan government then lodged a complaint letter with the UN that Taliban’s sanctioned members appeared in Russia.
