*KABUL – Top US envoy Khalilzad held important meetings in Kabul overAfghanistan dead peace talks*

*The US peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, arrived in Kabul on Sunday to meetwith Afghan leaders. *This is the first time the US Special Envoy for PeaceZalmay Khalilzad has been in Kabul since the peace talks were halted by USPresident Trump in early September.

“The meeting focused on the achievement of a lasting peace in Afghanistan,and both sides called for the reduction of violence and ceasefire by theTaliban to begin inter-Afghan talks,” said CE Abdullah’s deputy spokesmanOmid Maisam, TOLO News has reported.

Khalilzad also met with former President Hamid Karzai and some other Afghanpoliticians.

The meeting focused on reaching a permanent ceasefire and concerns overdelays in talks between Afghans, with the politicians calling on the US toresume talks with the Taliban.

The Afghan government has made assurances that a comprehensive delegationis prepared for the intra-Afghan talks, and considers the ceasefire to beone of the pre-conditions to start talks.