WASHINGTON: The top US envoy for South Asia has met with Taliban officialsfor peace talks in Qatar, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Alice Wells, the senior official for the State Department’s Bureau of Southand Central Asia Affairs, met with the Taliban this week to try to find anew path toward ending Afghanistan’s 17-year conflict, the Journalreported, citing people familiar with the matter.
A member of the Taliban’s leadership council — the Quetta Shura — confirmedto AFP that members of the militant group had met with US officials in Dohaon Monday.
The Taliban leader did not name Wells but said “a woman” was in the USdelegation.
The first round of talks was aimed at building trust between the two sides,he told AFP. The next meeting, which could happen as early at July 31,would be “more important.”
The State Department did not directly confirm the Journal report, but notedWells had been in Doha this week, where she met with Qatari governmentofficials “to discuss recent progress towards an Afghan-owned, andAfghan-led peace process.”
Officials noted they did not have any other meetings to describe “at thistime” and said the US “is exploring all avenues to advance a peace processin close consultation with the Afghan government.”
“Ambassador Wells welcomed the Qatari government’s constructive partnershipand dedication to Afghanistan, and expressed the deep US appreciation forefforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” a State Departmentstatement read.
An unprecedented three-day ceasefire involving Afghan security forces andthe Taliban last month had raised hopes that peace was possible in thewar-torn country.
But fighting resumed and Western and Afghan observers in Kabul have saidthe United States needs to speak directly to the Taliban to keep momentumgoing.
The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with the United States,which Washington has repeatedly refused, saying negotiations must beAfghan-led.
The group refuses to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they seeas illegitimate.
But Washington indicated a change in its long-standing policy in June whenUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was prepared to“support, facilitate and participate” in talks.