Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The United States favors peace than the presidential elections slated for September 28 in Afghanistan, a participant in the ongoing intra-Afghan dialogue, said, citing the US envoy for Afghan peace, Zalmay Khalilzad.
The third round of the intra-Afghan dialogue began on Sunday in Qatar to discuss ways for end the 18 year long war in Afghanistan. The first two meetings were held in Russia.
Some 70 politicians, civil society activists and representatives of women are negotiating with 17 representatives of Taliban in the dialogue co-sponsored by Germany and Qatar.
The government of Afghanistan has not sent delegation to the meeting, but some officials from the government are to express their personal opinions.
Khalilzad said in a dinner banquet with the Afghan politicians that his country would prefer peace to the presidential contest.
A member of the participants said Sunday on condition of anonymity that Khalilzad said this matter to the Afghan participants.
The participant said that peace deal before election was agreed.
The participant added that Khalilzad also mentioned an interim government in talks with the women participants.
He cited Khalilzad that the final decision should be made by the people of Afghanistan and the United States would play a facilitator on the peace efforts and elections.
Khalilzad is busy in the seventh round of negotiations with Taliban in Qatar, but the talks have been stalled lulled because of the intra-Afghan dialogues. The US and Taliban will resume negotiations on Tuesday after the intra-Afghan dialogue.
The US and Taliban have said about progress over the US withdrawal and a guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used by international terrorist organizations to threaten the West.
