KABUL – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday welcomed thebeginning of the intra-Afghan talks, and said that for the first time in 20years Afghans have sat down to solve the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.
Speaking at an Atlantic Council think tank event, Pompeo call the Dohameeting a US success.
“For the first time now in 20 years, Afghans sat down together to begin topound out what a reconciled, peaceful Afghanistan might look like. Under noillusions about who we’re negotiating with, who these parties are, howdifficult that process will be, but it’s again, it’s a recognition of thereality that things that America has accomplished,” Pompeo said.
Pompeo also said that now there are fewer than 200 Al Qaeda left inAfghanistan. “There’s fewer than 200 Al Qaeda left in Afghanistan today. Weare now delivering a set of outcomes that will reduce costs.” Pompeo added.
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Meanwhile, the Eurasia Group Foundation found in its new report, which waspublished on Monday, that nearly 62% of Americans said they backed anagreement signed in February between the US and Taliban after they wereprovided with the details.
The report says that Americans prefer diplomacy over military intervention,want negotiations with adversaries like the Taliban and would rejoininternational agreements the country has pulled out of under PresidentDonald Trump.
