Daily Times

American special peace envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will be arriving in Islamabad on Sunday for talks on ways how to end stalemate in peace talks with the Taliban, well-informed sources disclosed to Daily Times.

Taliban and Khalilzad have held six rounds of talks in Qatar since October and both claimed progress. However, they have failed to reach any agreement. The last round was held on May 1-9.

Sources said that the US envoy would hold talks with senior officials at the Foreign Office on Pakistan’s cooperation in the peace process.

As there has been no deal over the past eight months, Khalilzad has sought Pakistan’s help in his previous visits to Islamabad to use its influence on the Taliban and to convince them to accept the US demands. But Pakistani officials have made it clear to Khalilzad that Pakistan cannot interfere in the talks and that the US and Taliban should first resolve their differences, sources said.

On one hand, there is a stalemate in the Qatar process as the US does not accept the Taliban demand to publicly unveil a time-frame for the withdrawal of the troops and Taliban have ruled out possibility of ceasefire and direct talks with the Kabul administration. On the other, Taliban have stepped up activities in Afghanistan and on Friday targeted a convoy of foreign forces, injuring four American security personnel in Kabul.

Frustration among the war-weary Afghans is growing over the lack of progress in the peace talks that could also be annoying for the Trump’s administration.

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheeen said in an earlier interview that agreement on complete withdrawal of the troops will pave the way for discussions on other issues.

Taliban political negotiators believe the US side “usually ignores our calls for signing agreement first on the complete withdrawal of the US and NATO troops. But the US brings other issues like ceasefire and direct talks with the Kabul administration that is unacceptable to our side.”

“We have told them (Americans) that we will not declare ceasefire until the US makes a public announcement on the withdrawal of the troops and a time-frame for the withdrawal. We have made it clear that no ceasefire will be announced while foreign invasion continues,” a Taliban official said, who does not want to be identified by name.

It is also hard for the Taliban to convince their military commanders and foot soldiers on the ceasefire until there is a deal on the troops withdrawal.

“We have also categorically told the American negotiators that we want to decide first the ‘external aspect’ of the conflict with them and that is complete withdrawal of foreign troops and in return we will ensure that no one used the Taliban controlled areas against the US and other countries,” he said.

“When we insist to solve the external aspect of the conflict first, the Americans call for ceasefire and ignore the real issue. We told them if the US solves the withdrawal issue, then other issues will be solved,” he further said.

The Taliban leader said Taliban told the US side during the 6th round that another agenda for the ‘internal aspect’ of the problem will be prepared after agreement on the troops issue.

The US is seemed in a fix over the withdrawal issue as it is reluctant to strike a deal only on this issue and wants ceasefire and Taliban agreement to talk to the Afghan government should be part of a larger agreement. Taliban have refused to accept this.