KABUL – Senior Taliban leaders said that regional powers including Pakistanhad approached them and wanted them to meet the US delegation in Islamabadand also include the Afghan government in the peace process but that theapproaches had been rejected.
“We wanted to make it clear that we will not hold any meeting with ZalmayKhalilzad in Islamabad,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in a statement.
Talks between the two sides have stalled after the Taliban accusedKhalilzad of straying from the agreed agenda and there is no clarity onwhen they may resume.
“We have made it clear again and again that we would never hold any meetingwith the Afghan government as we know that they are not capable ofaddressing our demands,” said one senior Taliban leader, who spoke oncondition of anonymity.
The United States says any settlement in Afghanistan must be between theinternationally recognized Afghan government and the Taliban, who have sofar refused to talk to an administration they describe as an illegitimatepuppet regime.
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The Taliban leader said peace talks with the US delegation could resume ifthey were assured that only three issues would be discussed- a USwithdrawal from Afghanistan, an exchange of prisoners and lifting a ban onthe movement of Taliban leaders.
Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and met Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan as well as the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and otherofficials.
