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The agreement seems to be tied to a week-long reduction in violence and its continuity
AT News
KABUL: Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said Monday the United States and the Taliban have reached a final peace deal in one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.
For nearly one and half years, representatives from the United States government and the Taliban rebel group have struggled to reach a deal that would not only end the two-decades-old bloody insurgency in Afghanistan but also put a seal on American withdrawal.
Addressing the Council of Ministers, Abdullah said the peace agreement between the Taliban and US has been ‘finalized’. “The agreement between the Taliban and US has been finalized and the signing of the agreement is based on the reduction in violence over seven-days and then it will continue,” Abdullah said.
He touted it as an opportunity for the militant Taliban to exhibit their resolve for peace.
This is as the US chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad made some tweets about progress in Doha peace talks, confirming an agreement between Washington and the rebel group to reduce violence. But he stressed that “success cannot be guaranteed”.
Khalilzad reported on Twitter that he had met with President Ashraf Ghani in Munich on Friday and held a series of meetings with leaders and representatives from different countries.
Khalilzad also mentioned a “prolonged and fruitful” trip to Doha before attending the Munich Security Conference.
During a meeting with President Ghani, Khalilzad said the two “spoke about the opportunity of this reduction in violence and the imperative of preparing for an inclusive Afghan peace process.”
“We urge all Afghans to seize the moment and end the misery of more than four decades of war,” Khalilzad said.
Khalilzad said he briefed leaders at the Munich Security Conference about the peace process and “also discussed next steps and committed to working together on the difficult and complicated road ahead.”
