ISLAMABAD – The United States and Russia have agreed to explore options onsecuring travel waivers for Taliban negotiators to participate in talks toend the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the peace talkswith the Taliban, discussed the issue of lifting the travel ban for Talibanleaders with his Russian counterpart Zamir Kabulov in Ankara.
Lifting the travel ban imposed over Taliban leaders by the United Nationshas been one of the key demands of the hardline Islamic group that startednegotiations with U.S. officials last year to end the 17-year-old war.
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Meanwhile,the Afghan Taliban said it would resume negotiations on Mondaywith the United States in Qatar, insisting the meeting “will provepositive” despite propaganda against the peace process.
