ISLAMABAD – Afghan Taliban reject two main demands from the United Statesto restore crucial peace talks.
In a fresh initiative to restore peace talks and end war in Afghanistan,Special US envoy for Afghan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad reportedly heldmeeting with Taliban representatives in Pakistan a few days ago. Themeeting could prove crucial in making a breakthrough in the reconciliationprocess.
The US and Afghan Taliban have started debating on the procedure to restorepeace process after negotiations failed in September.
Last month, Khalilzad also met with top US diplomat in New York to strike adeal and initiate the peace talks. As part of the pact, Washington demandsceasefire in Afghanistan and inclusion of the Kabul government in the peaceprocess. But the Taliban refused to accept the US demands and want theprocess to be resumed from right where it broke off, while Washington wantsa fresh start, particularly with respect to its two demands.
On September 9, US President Donald Trump canceled a meeting withrepresentatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban at the US CampDavid following an attack in Kabul which killed a dozen people, including aUS service member. Trump declared the peace talks with the Taliban “dead”after the incident.
If the peace talks between the two sides succeed, the United States wouldpull 5,400 troops from Afghanistan within 135 days of signing an agreementwith the Taliban.
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The pullout would be the start of what is expected to be the gradualwithdrawal of all 14,000 United States troops that could end America’slongest running war.
It could be the beginning of an end to the nearly two decades of Americanmilitary presence in Afghanistan, which began with the attacks in theUnited States on September 11, 2001. The war has cost the lives of tens ofthousands of Afghans and more than 3,500 American and coalition soldiers.
The initial troop withdrawal would mean the closing of five military basesor the transfer of those bases to the Afghan government.
In an interview to an Afghan news channel, Zalmay Khalilzad said the UnitedStates has reached an agreement “in principle” with the Afghan insurgents,but added that the final approval rested with President Trump.
