BRUSSELS: Washington will not unilaterally withdraw from Afghanistan, thePentagon chief said Thursday, as NATO said the Kabul government must beurgently brought into US peace talks with the Taliban aimed at ending thecountry’s 17-year war.
Acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan said any decision to reduce thenumber of US troops in Afghanistan would be taken in coordination withNATO, which runs a training and support mission in the war-torn country.
But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned against any more delayin involving the Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani in theprocess, saying that without it lasting peace would not be possible.
President Donald Trump wants to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where14,000 American troops are still deployed — raising Afghan fears thatWashington could exit before securing a durable peace deal.
But, after talks with fellow NATO defence ministers in Brussels, Shanahansaid Washington would not act alone.
“There will be no unilateral troop reduction. That was one of the messagesin the meeting today. It will be coordinated. We work together,” he saidafter the meeting, which came after a tour of Kabul and Baghdad forShanahan.
“I feel as though we’re creating the diplomatic leverage AmbassadorKhalizad needs. We really need to talk about the possibility for peace.This may be our moment.”
Zalmay Khalilzad is the US special envoy leading talks with the Taliban andhe has expressed hope of finding a deal before Afghan presidentialelections scheduled for July.
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Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month aspart of efforts to convince the militants — ousted from power inAfghanistan by a US-led invasion in 2001 — to negotiate with Ghani’sgovernment.
Ghani himself has vented frustration at talks going on without him aboutthe future of Afghanistan and warned against rushing into a deal.
“It is very important that the Afghan government as soon as possiblebecomes fully integrated in the peace process,” Stoltenberg said.
“Without that there will be no lasting peace and no strong institutions tomake sure any peace agreement is fully enforced.”
The militants last week held separate talks in Moscow with a seniordelegation of Afghan politicians — including some of Ghani’s leadingrivals. – APP/AFP
