KABUL: The Afghan government Saturday welcomed a pledge by the Pentagonthat the US would only accept a “good deal” from the Taliban after a waveof insurgent attacks sparked concerns of a hasty US withdrawal.
During a wide ranging press conference in Paris earlier Saturday US DefenseSecretary Mark Esper sought to allay fears that Washington was looking fora quick exit from Afghanistan as it inches closer to a potential deal withthe Taliban.
“My view, the US view is that the best way forward is a political agreementand that’s what we’re working diligently on right now,” Esper toldreporters.
“That doesn’t mean we’ll take any deal, but we want to make sure we have agood deal, a good enough deal that guarantees at least the security of ourcountries going forward and a brighter future for the Afghan people.”
The remarks were greeted warmly in Afghanistan where the Taliban in thepast week have attacked several provincial capitals and targeted Kabul withsuicide bombers.
“The Afghan Government welcomes the latest remarks made by the PentagonChief on AFG peace process,” presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi wrote onTwitter.
“We echo the need for sustainable peace, end of violence and a meaningfulpeace that would guarantee the security of Afghanistan and its allies.”
Kabul has been gripped by a surge in deadly violence even after the US andthe insurgents reached an agreement “in principle” that would see the USpull thousands of troops from Afghanistan in return for various Talibansecurity promises.
But there is increasing unease about the deal, which Afghans fear will leadto a return of the extremist Taliban to power.
A growing chorus of US lawmakers and officials have also expressed doubtsas US negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad returned to Qatar this week for furthertalks with the insurgents.
Any deal would need final approval from President Trump, who has said thathe wants to end American involvement in Afghanistan, launched after theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.
According to parts of the deal made public so far, the Pentagon would pullabout 5,000 of its roughly 13,000 or so troops from five bases acrossAfghanistan by early next year.
The insurgents in turn will renounce Al-Qaeda, promise to fight the IslamicState group and stop extremists using Afghanistan as a safe haven.
The Afghan government, however, has repeatedly expressed doubts about theproposed deal, saying officials need more information about the risks itposes and warned that a hasty exit could lead to a wider civil war in theconflict-torn country. -APP/AFP