KABUL: The Taliban said Friday it was “way too early” to speak of resumingdirect talks with Washington, a day after President Donald Trump suggestednegotiations to end America’s longest war were back on track during asurprise visit to Afghanistan.
“It is way too early to talk about the resumption of talks for now. We willgive our official reaction later,” the group’s official spokesman,Zabihullah Mujahid, told AFP in a WhatsApp message.
Trump on Thursday had said the Taliban “wants to make a deal”.
“We’re meeting with them and we’re saying it has to be a ceasefire,” hetold reporters during his unannounced trip to Bagram Airfield, outside thecapital Kabul, to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with the troops.
His statement suggested progress after his shock decision in September toend negotiations with the insurgents just as Washington appeared on theverge of signing a deal with the Taliban that would have seen the US beginpulling troops out of Afghanistan in return for security guarantees.
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The deal was expected to pave a way towards direct talks between theTaliban and the government in Kabul.
But Trump described the year-long effort as “dead” and withdrew aninvitation to the insurgents to meet in the United States due to thekilling of an American soldier.
Both Washington and the Taliban had left the door open for talks to resume,however, with most observers agreeing that a political settlement is theonly way to reach a lasting peace in Afghanistan after 18 years of war.-APP/AFP
