US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad departed on December 3 for Kabul and Doha to meet with Afghan officials and rejoin peace talks with the Taliban, the State Department announced in a press release on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th December, 2019) US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad departed on December 3 for Kabul and Doha to meet with Afghan officials and rejoin peace talks with the Taliban, the State Department announced in a press release on Wednesday."In Kabul, Special Representative Khalilzad will meet with Afghan government representatives and other Afghan leaders to follow up on President Trump's recent visit and to discuss how best to support accelerated efforts to get all parties to intra-Afghan negotiations," the release said. "In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will rejoin talks with the Taliban to discuss steps that could lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and a peaceful settlement of the war, specifically a reduction in violence that leads to a ceasefire."
Khalilzad's trip follows President Donald Trump's unannounced visit to Afghanistan on November 28, which marked the first visit of a US president to the country in five years.
Following talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Trump announced the resumption of talks with the Taliban and intention to reduce the size of the US contingent in Afghanistan to 8,600.
Peace talks between the US and the Taliban have repeatedly stalled with most recent talks falling through in September after a Taliban explosion killed a US soldier in Afghanistan.
