Daily Times

The Afghan Taliban’s powerful “Rehbari Shura” or leadership council will review the draft agreement with the US when it is shared with its members, a Taliban leader said on Monday.

The leader, requested not to be identified by name, told Daily Times that the leadership council was aware of most parts of the agreement, but would study the final draft for approval or any changes, if required.

However, he said there was little chance of a major change, as the political representatives would regularly brief the leadership about the details of negotiations with the US.

A Taliban source in Qatar said a three-member Taliban team from the Qatar office last month shared details of the talks with the leadership council but the final draft has yet to be shared with the “shura” members.

The leadership council would routinely convey suggestions to political representatives and at one stage warned head of the political office Mullah Baradar to avoid taking decisions without informing the leader, when he offered a 14-month time line to the American side for troop withdrawal.

The Taliban had earlier been in favour of giving nine months for the withdrawal while the US had suggested 18 months.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul after concluding the ninth round of talks, said the US and the Taliban had reached an agreement in principle, but it would not be considered final until US President Donald Trump agreed to it.

Khalilzad told TOLO news in Kabul that the US would withdraw 5,000 troops from five bases in Afghanistan within 135 days based on the draft agreement if conditions in the agreement were addressed by the Taliban.

“Of course, it is not final until the US president [Donald Trump] agrees on it. So, at the moment, we are at that stage,” the US envoy said.

Afghan officials said Khalilzad shared details of the draft agreement with President Ashraf Ghani and reports suggest he had two meetings with the Afghan president and other leaders including Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah.

Director General, Office of Public and Strategic Affairs, Government of Afghanistan, Waheed Omar said copy of the draft framework was shown to President Ghani.

Omar earlier said on Twitter that Ambassador Khalilzad met President Ghani and Dr Abdullah on Monday and handed a copy of the draft framework agreement between the US and the Taliban.

“We will look into the document and discussions with Amb Khalilzad and team will continue,” he said.

Omar later posted correction on twitter and said the draft agreement was shown to the Afghan leaders and that presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqi will provide more details to the media soon.

Daily Times has learnt that Khalilzad will visit Islamabad this week to brief the Pakistani government on the outcomes of his talks with the Taliban.

Pakistan has been playing the role of a facilitator since Khalilzad opened talks with the Taliban in Qatar in October that include the release of Mullah Baradar on his request to facilitate the political negotiations.