Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT Monitoring Desk
KABUL: US President Donald Trump has told reporters on Tuesday that there is a chance of making a deal with the Taliban, AP reported.
“So, we are negotiating with the Taliban. We’ve been negotiating with them for a while. We will see what happens. It’s a chance of making a deal. It is a chance,” Trump said.
This follows a public announcement by US Defense Secretary Esper last week that an agreement for a seven-day reduction in violence was on the table at the US-Taliban talks, and also an AP report citing high-level officials saying that President Trump had “conditionally” approved a peace agreement being discussed in Doha, Qatar.
The expectation is that a signed peace deal between the US and the Taliban will lead to intra-Afghan talks.
Moreover, the Afghan government has been engaged in forming a delegation to carry peace talks with the Taliban.
Speaking in panel organized by AISS regarding the Assessing Recent Developments in the Afghan Peace Process, the General Advisor for Public and Strategic Affairs to President Ashraf Ghani, Waheed Omer said an inclusive peace process doesn’t mean only including political elites. “An inclusive peace process means to include the people of Afghanistan.’
Omer vowed that government would signify the authority of the peace negotiation team to continue the peace talks with the Taliban. The delegation is compromised of 15 members. “The delegation is discussing the technical issues and decision regarding the peace process may be taken in Kabul.” Omer cited the Afghan government has a clear roadmap for the peace process.
