He intends to achieve full implementation of the agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban, the State Department press office said.
U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad went to Doha, Qatar’s capital, for new talks with representatives of the radical Taliban movement. This was reported on Wednesday by the press service of the U.S. State Department.
“U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad left for Doha, New Delhi and Islamabad on May 5. In Doha, U.S. Special Representative Khalilzad will meet with Taliban representatives to seek full implementation of the agreement between the U.S. and the movement”, – the document said.
In addition, in New Delhi, Khalilzad will meet with Indian authorities “to discuss India’s important role in maintaining peace in Afghanistan and the region. In Islamabad, he will meet with Pakistani authorities and “discuss the peace process in Afghanistan.
“In all the cities where he will be staying, he will call for support for immediate reduction of violence, acceleration of the beginning of inter-Afghan negotiations, as well as cooperation of all parties in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan”, – the statement said.
An escalation of political controversy occurred in Afghanistan after February 18, when Ashraf Ghani was officially declared the winner of the presidential election. He received 50.64% of the vote, according to the Independent Election Commission. Abdullah Abdullah, a presidential candidate and then prime minister, refused to accept the election results. The Taliban described the elections as illegitimate and contrary to the peace process.
On February 29, a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban was signed in Doha. Under the agreement, inter-Afghan consultations were to begin as early as 10 March. It was agreed that up to 5,000 supporters of the movement and up to 1,000 people held by radicals should be released as part of confidence-building measures by the time the inter-Afghan talks were launched. According to Afghanistan’s National Security Council, Taliban supporters have carried out more than 2,800 attacks since the signing of the agreement with the United States.