PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban has rejected media reports that they ready toresume meetings with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad.
According to the reports of the international news agency, the AfghanTaliban has refused the report again that they are not ready to talkdirectly with the Afghan government.
Earlier on Friday, the Pakistani newspapers and television stationsreported that a meeting in Islamabad was in prospect following discussionsbetween Khalilzad and Pakistani officials including Prime Minister ImranKhan.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that Taliban arenot holding any meeting with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad.
He added that regional powers including Pakistan had approached them andwanted them to meet the U.S. delegation in Islamabad and also include theAfghan government in the peace process but that the approaches had beenrejected.
Talks between the two sides have stalled after the Taliban accusedKhalilzad of straying from the agreed agenda and there is no clarity onwhen they may resume.
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A senior Taliban leader told international news agency, “We have made itclear again and again that we would never hold any meeting with the Afghangovernment as we know that they are not capable of addressing our demands”.
The United States says any settlement in Afghanistan must be between theinternationally recognized Afghan government and the Taliban, who have sofar refused to talk to an administration they describe as an illegitimatepuppet regime.
The Taliban leader said peace talks with the U.S. delegation could resumeif they were assured that only three issues would be discussed – a U.S.withdrawal from Afghanistan, an exchange of prisoners and lifting a ban onthe movement of Taliban leaders.
Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and met Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan as well as the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and otherofficials.
