Pompeo to Take Part in Signing of US Peace Agreement With Taliban - Trump

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th February, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will participate in the signing of an agreement with the Taliban opposition movement that can pave the way to end the war in Afghanistan and withdraw American troops from the country, President Donald Trump announced in a statement released by the White House on Friday.

"Soon, at my direction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will witness the signing of an agreement with representatives of the Taliban, while Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan," Trump said. "If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home."

The long-awaited US-Taliban peace agreement is expected to be signed on Saturday in Doha after a week-long reduction of violence that is currently in place in Afghanistan.

Trump said if the Taliban and the Afghan government live up to the stated commitments, there will be a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring US troops home.

"These commitments represent an important step to a lasting peace in a new Afghanistan, free from Al Qaeda, ISIS [Islamic State terror group, banned in Russia], and any other terrorist group that would seek to bring us harm," Trump added.

The US president urged the Afghan people to seize "this opportunity for peace and a new future for their country."

Trump also said that the deal would be a substantial progress on his 2016 election promise to bring troops home after a nearly 19 years' campaign.