WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th June, 2019) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said he had productive conversations on the peace process in Afghanistan during his surprise visit to the country.
"Great visit to Afghanistan today with productive discussions on the Afghan peace process and the need for credible elections with President Ashraf Ghani [...] former President Hamid Karzai, political parties, security forces and civil society, including women's groups," Pompeo said via Twitter.
Pompeo said the US hopes to finalize a peace deal before September 1.
He also noted that while the United States is prepared to remove its forces from Afghanistan, Washington has not yet agreed to a timeline for a potential troop withdrawal.
Peace talks are currently underway between the Taliban and the United States, one of the main contributors to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. The sides have held six rounds of peace talks so far and a seventh round is expected to be held in Doha on Saturday.
The Taliban and the United States are trying to reach a peace deal, which envisages the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, a permanent ceasefire and assurances from the Taliban that the country will not be ever again used as a safe haven for terrorists who threaten Washington and its allies.
