Daily Times

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad has resumed his mission ahead of an international conference in Turkey on Afghan peace process, the State Department said.

During this trip, Ambassador Khalilzad will build on recent efforts by regional and international partners to encourage the two Afghan parties to accelerate their negotiations to end the conflict, a State Department statement said.

Khallzad started the new trip at a time when there was no progress in intra-Afghan negotiations in Qatar. The negotiations to decide a future political roadmap were started on Sept. 12 and both sides have not yet finalized an agenda.

Sources claim that the US envoy, who has secured a landmark deal for the US, will also travel to Qatar to meet the Taliban and the Afghan government negotiation team.

Khalilzad will engage the two sides on their preparatory efforts for talks on a political settlement that produces a permanent ceasefire and a durable and just peace, according to the statement.

The US envoy will also meet with stakeholders to discuss the role of the region and international community in facilitation of talks between the sides.

Turkey is expected to host a conference on Afghan peace process next month on the request of the US under the supervision of the United Nations.

But, a Taliban official denied any such development and said that no decision about the date has yet been decided.

This is the second visit of Khalilzad to the region this month to push the peace process forward. The administration of President Joe Biden has retained him because of his key role, but the agreement he had signed with the Taliban is seen in doldrums, which can be reflected by President Joe Biden’s recent remarks on a possibility that his administration may miss the May 1st deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Under the Doha agreement signed in February last year, it was decided that all foreign troops will be withdrawn in 14 months. But President Biden told reporters in Washington on Thursday “it’s going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline.”

“Just in terms of tactical reasons, it’s hard to get those troops out. So, what we’ve been doing — what I’ve been doing and what Secretary Blinken has been doing — has been — we’ve been meeting with our allies, those other nations that have NATO Allies who have troops in Afghanistan as well. And if we leave, we’re going to do so in a safe and orderly way,” he said.

The Taliban have termed Biden’s remarks as “vague” about implementation of the Doha agreement and said “undoubtedly it will be considered a violation of the accord by America for which it shall be held liable and which shall also harm its international standing.”

“In such a case, the Islamic Emirate – as a representative of the believing, valiant and Mujahid Afghan nation – will be compelled to defend its religion and homeland and continue its Jihad and armed struggle against foreign forces to liberate its country,” a Taliban statement said.

The Taliban warned that all responsibility for the prolongation of war, death and destruction will be on the shoulders of those who committed this violation. Taliban have also criticized Germany’s decision to extend the military mission in Afghanistan into 2022, terming it a continuation of war.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujhid said the best option is all foreign troops leave Afghanistan in accordance with the Doha agreement.

“All those who want to prolong invasion of Afghanistan and to keep troops here are in fact the backers of war and want to extend the 20 years of war and they will suffer more losses than any other thing,” Mujahid told Daily Times on Friday.

“If someone wants to keep troops in Afghanistan, the people would fight foreign troops as they had done over the past 20 years. That will not be in favor of anyone. It would be good if all troops leave Afghanistan in accordance with the Doha agreement and to avoid continuation of war,” the Taliban spokesman said.