MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2020) Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday that he had discussed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the progress in the peace talks between the United States and the Taliban during a phone conversation.
"Today, I was pleased to receive a call from @SecPompeo, informing me of the notable progress made in the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban. The Secretary informed me about the Taliban's proposal with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence," Ghani wrote on Twitter.
Since 2018, Washington and the Taliban have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal that would ensure the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the movement's guarantee that the country would not become a safe haven for terrorists. The parties' representatives have been regularly meeting in Qatar's Doha to address the issue, but the dialogue has been suspended twice over recent months due to Taliban attacks.
Talks resumed in January, with the most recent round taking place on Monday. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with senior Taliban members and negotiators to discuss further steps in the peace process.
