US to Host Russia, China, EU Envoys for Talks on Afghan Peace Process - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st March, 2019) US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will meet this week with his Russian, Chinese, and EU counterparts for talks on the Afghan peace process, the US State Department said in a press release.

"Khalilzad will host his counterparts Presidential Special Representative Ambassador Zamir Kabulov of Russia, Special Envoy Ambassador Deng Xijun of China, and Special Envoy Ambassador Roland Kobia of the European Union at the Department of State for talks on March 21 and 22," the release said on Wednesday. "Discussion topics include: international support for the Afghan peace process, the role each party can play in bringing an end to the war, and progress to date in peace talks."

Kabulov told Sputnik on Tuesday that Russia expects to hear from the United States on the results of its recent talks with Taliban leaders the scheduled consultations in Washington. Asked whether a Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan could take place in the near future, Kabulov said there was not enough material yet.

Landmark negotiations between the Taliban movement, one of the key warring parties in the Afghan conflict, and US officials kicked off in the Qatari capital of Doha in late February.

As of mid-March the sides managed to develop a draft agreement on the Taliban's counterterrorism assurances and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that have been assisting national forces for almost 18 years now.

Moscow also serves as a platform for consultations on Afghanistan. In early February, the Russian capital hosted an intra-Afghan meeting, although Kabul was not represented. Taliban leaders have vehemently refused to engage in direct talks with Afghan authorities whom they have referred to as US puppets.

Earlier in March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Washington's Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who leads the US-Taliban talks, "periodically meets" with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov as well as Kabulov. He stressed that it was a "good thing" to stop competing and "unite efforts" and help the Afghans "start a national dialogue to end this conflict."