In Qatar, negotiations between the US and the Taliban (banned in the Russian Federation) were resumed, said Suhail Shahin, spokesman for the Taliban political bureau in Doha.
“The negotiating group led by the political deputy leader of the movement and the Head of the political office in Qatar, Mullah Baradar Ahund, met with the American negotiating group led by Khalilzad (US Special Representative for Reconciliation in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad – IF) to discuss the signing agreements and related ceremonies”, – Shahin tweeted on Friday.
“There was a useful dialogue between the negotiating teams. This conversation will last several days, and we will publish information from time to time”, – the representative of the Taliban said.
Thw US officials have not yet commented on what is happening.
Earlier on December 13, a break was announced at the US-Taliban talks in Doha, resumed on December 7. The negotiations of the delegations of the parties in Doha were resumed on December 7 after their disruption in September at the initiative of the US President Donald Trump because of the terrorist attack in Kabul that led to the deaths of people, including the US military. The responsibility for the attack then took over the Taliban.
According to media reports, the United States invited the Taliban to declare a ceasefire for the period of negotiations, the Taliban took a break to consult with their leadership.
At the end of December, the US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met in Afghanistan with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah, and representatives of political and public organizations. In Kabul, the US special envoy said that the main condition for starting negotiations with the Taliban is the cessation of violence in Afghanistan.
“We are approaching an important milestone in the Afghan peace process. I spent two days of consultations in Kabul. The trip was fruitful”, – Khalilzad said on Twitter.
In turn, the press service of President Ghani said that the central issue of negotiations between the president and Khalilzad was how to ensure a ceasefire and solve the problem of the Taliban’s refuge outside Afghanistan.
“President Ghani expressed concern that the Taliban continued the violence and confirmed that the Afghan people and government want complete peace and have no doubt about it”, – the press service of the President of the IRA said.
It is noted that at the meeting both sides expressed hope that “at first a truce will be concluded to ensure peace in Afghanistan”.
The Taliban, in turn, stated that they were ready to start inter-Afghan peace talks only after signing the agreement on the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.