WASHINGTON – US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said on Thursdaythat during his recent visit to Afghanistan, the two sides during theirdiscussion focused on the need for continued bilateral discussion betweenKabul and Islamabad.
At a press briefing at the US State Department, Secretary Sullivan who justreturned from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, said in his discussion withthe Afghan government, the two sides focused on the relationship betweenAfghanistan and Pakistan and the need for continued bilateral discussionbetween them.
“…I also emphasized that the United States must continue to have itsbilateral relationship with Pakistan, both on its own terms and withrespect to the region including Afghanistan,” he said, and added that theUS government has told Islamabad about its expectation with regard tofighting terrorism and to contributing to a lasting and enduring peace inAfghanistan.
Secretary Sullivan, while responding to a question about a recent statementby President Trump that US would not talk to Taliban, said it did notindicate any change in the US’ South Asia policy and Washington wouldcontinue to put pressure on Taliban to bring them to the negotiating tablewhere the ultimate resolution would be through an Afghan-led andAfghan-owned peace process.
“One significant change in our policy is it’s conditions-based, nottime-based,,, We’re not setting a timeline for a date by which negotiationsmust begin. The policy is conditions-based.”
During his visit, Secretary Sullivan met with Afghan President AshrafGhani, Chief ExecutiveDr. Abdullah Abdullah, Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and othergovernment leaders.
He said that the Afghan leadership assured him that despite the recentterrorist attacks, the Afghan government would continue to work to createthe necessary conditions to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table andestablish an environment for a sustained peace. – APP