The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, said on Saturday that the next round of the US-Taliban talks will begin on June 29, but he did not make the venue clear.
The past six rounds of the US-Taliban talks have been held in the UAE and Qatar.
According to Khalilzad, in the sixth round of the talks, the two sides made slow but steady progress on four issues under debate: counter-terrorism efforts, US forces withdrawal, a ceasefire and intra-Afghan talks.
Khalilzad said in a tweet on Saturday that as per his visits to Afghanistan and Qatar, all sides — the Afghan government, the Taliban, Afghan politicians and members of the public — want “rapid progress”.
This comes after Senior Afghan politicians, including Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor, second deputy chief executive Mohammad Mohaqeq, and presidential candidate Abdul Latif Pedram, are in Pakistan for a conference titled “Lahore Process”.
Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi who addressed the inaugural ceremony of Afghan peace conference titled “Lahore Process” at Bhurbhan in Murree, Pakistan, on Saturday, said his country remains firmly committed to a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan.
Qureshi said Pakistan’s unshakable resolve to support peace, stability and long-term prosperity of Afghanistan.
Other important figures include the High Peace Council Chairman Mohammad Karim Khalili, presidential candidate Mohammad Haneef Atmar, former vice president Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, former governor Ismail Khan, and presidential candidate Ahmad Wali Massoud.
