WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2020) The United States is optimistic about the prospects for holding intra-Afghan peace talks as the few remaining obstacles are currently being removed, US Ambassador Henry Ensher said on Wednesday.
"We are optimistic, I think, these days about prospects in Afghanistan for peace talks," Ensher said. "We are clearing away the last couple of obstacles."
The Afghan government and the Taliban movement will launch peace talks on August 16, Afghanistan's national television RTA reported on Monday.
The launch of the intra-Afghan talks was conditional upon a mutual release of prisoners and reduction of violence by the Taliban under a peace agreement negotiated by the United States in Doha, Qatar, on February 29.
On Sunday, the council of Afghan tribal leaders Loya Jirga consented to the release of the remaining 400 Taliban prisoners and the decision is seen as instrumental in prompting the Taliban to start negotiations ten days after the release is implemented.
The US-negotiated peace agreement stipulates the release of 5,000 Taliban and 1,000 Afghan government prisoners.
The intra-Afghan talks are now expected to pave the way for a peace process and withdrawal of foreign troops after almost two decades of war and insurgency.
