WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: Senior United States (US) State Department officialon Saturday said that Taliban leaders residing outside Afghanistan pose athreat to the US-led Afghan peace process.
While talking to the media during an official visit to Kabul, seniorofficial for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the US StateDepartment Alice Wells asserted that the US leadership wants decisive movesin the peace talks.
Wells remarks were embargoes for release on Sunday .
US State Department official is scheduled to reach Islamabad on Monday tomeet Pakistani officials.
Wells remarked “Increasingly, I think it’s becoming unacceptable for theTaliban not to negotiate”.
The US State Department envoy asserted that the Taliban leaders residingoutside Afghanistan were an obstacle in a negotiated political settlement.
Wells stressed that the support for a peace process not only came from thepublic but also from the foot soldiers.
Earlier on Saturday, President Ghani had ordered the government to resumenormal operations after an announced extension of the Eid ceasefire. Ghanihas repeatedly offered the Taliban for peace talks.
She added “It really takes away all the objections the Taliban have aboutwhy they are not prepared to engage with the Afghan government”, after theUS’s offer to join in on the peace talks to discuss the future ofinternational troops in Afghanistan.
However, the Taliban claim that the sitting government in Afghanistan is apuppet regime, hence they refuse to negotiate with the Afghan government.
Wells asserted that the neighboring countries played a vital roleespecially Pakistan, which has not been doing enough. She added “We havenot yet seen that sustained and decisive action on part of Islamabad andthat’s what we’re looking for”.
Earlier, Wells had announced that Pakistan was on notice again as the USexpects from Islamabad to end the safe havens it provides to the Taliban onits territory. However, Pakistan has time and again denied any such claims.