ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that peace in Afghanistan isaround the corner as he expressed hopes that the negotiations between theU.S. and Taliban representatives would result into a peace agreement incoming days.
Khan made the remarks during a gathering in Bajaur tribal district,according to a report by VOA News.
“Negotiations have been initiated with the Taliban. God willing, ourbrothers in Afghanistan would live together in peace in coming days,” Khansaid.
Without elaborating further, Khan asserted the peace process would resultin stability, trade and economic prosperity for the region, andparticularly for Afghanistan to enable the war-shattered country stand onits own feet, VOA said in the report.
“A good government will be established in Afghanistan, a government whereall Afghans will be represented. The war will end and peace will beestablished there,” he added.
This comes as the fifth round of talks between the U.S. and Talibanrepresentatives ended on Tuesday in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
“We’ve received reports back from Special Representative Khalilzad thatthey’ve had meaningful progress,” Robert Palladino, the State Department’sdeputy spokesperson, told reporters at a daily briefing in Washington onTuesday.
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He said that in the fresh round of talks, the two sides were able to moveto agreement in draft on the first two principles.
“In this round of talks, we were able to move to agreement in draft on thefirst two principles, counterterrorism assurances and troop withdrawal. Andwhen that agreement in draft is finalized, Taliban and an inclusive Afghannegotiating team that includes the Afghan government and other Afghans tobegin intra-Afghan negotiation for a political settlement and acomprehensive ceasefire,” he added.
Hours after the news broke on Qatar talks, US Special Envoy ZalmayKhalilzad said in a tweet that he wrapped up a marathon round of talks withTaliban in Doha.
Khalilzad said peace requires agreement on four issues: counterterrorismassurances, troop withdrawal, intra-Afghan dialogue, and a comprehensiveceasefire.
