Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The Taliban insurgent group on Monday ruled out negotiations with the Afghan government immediately after the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed hopes for intra-Afghan peace talks in upcoming two weeks.
Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Doha said talks with Afghan government is possible when schedule for pullout of foreign troops announce in presence of international community.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Palace said that the intra-Afghan negotiations were an opportunity for the Taliban because they need peace.
These stern remarks from the Taliban come a day after MoFA announced that direct talks with the Taliban rebels were expected to happen in another two weeks in Germany.
Despite MoFA seemed upbeat with regards to the peace negotiations with the Afghan government and the Taliban; however, the group has time and again rejected to sit face-to-face in talks with the Kabul administration.
On the other hand, Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, opened Saturday the seventh round of direct talks with the Taliban negotiators and delegation led by the political chief, Mullah Baradar.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, however, during his unannounced visit to Kabul hoped to achieve a deal with the Taliban by September before presidential election.
