Connect with us

Latest News

‘Afghans Have The Right to Live in Peace’ – U.S. Envoy

Published

on

(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

The U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad who is on a multi-nation trip for his efforts of facilitating intra-Afghan peace talks, says Afghans have the right to leave in peace after decades of war in their country.

Last week, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly proposed an interim setup for Afghanistan as part of the Afghan peace process. His remarks sparked a strong reaction of the Afghan government and the international community including the United States.

Later, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Imran Khan’s remarks were “misinterpreted” and that the comments should not be misinterpreted to imply interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan.

Khalilzad in a tweet on Friday said that he noted the government of Pakistan statement “clarifying Pakistan government’s views on avoiding interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs”.

“Appreciate Pakistan’s and other regional support for Afghan Peace Process and agree that Afghans have the right to live in peace after a long period of war,” Khalilzad said.

According to the U.S. State Department, in his latest round of trip, Khalilzad will visit the United Kingdom, Belgium, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Qatar from March 25 to April 10, as part of the efforts to facilitate a peace process to facilitate  “inclusive” intra-Afghan negotiations.

Khalilzad on Friday met with his counterparts at the European Union (EU), where he talked about the last 18 years in achievements in Afghanistan which according to him should be prioritized in the ongoing peace talks.

“Excellent meetings today with my counterparts at the EU. We talked about our countries’ shared values, and about the meaningful political & social gains in Afghanistan over the last 18 years, especially for women & children, which must be prioritized in the peace process,” Khalilzad tweeted.

Recently, Federica Maria Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, visited Kabul where he met the Afghan government leaders and vowed the European Union’s continued support to the peace process and the upcoming elections. 

“I particularly appreciated Federica Mogherini thoughts for Afghans concerned about potential overlap in timing of elections and the  Afghan Peace Process: “Enter negotiations as if there were no elections, united as a country, and do elections as if there were no negotiations.” Khalilzad tweeted.

In his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, Khalilzad also brief NATO allies on Afghan peace efforts.

“NATO & US forces serve shoulder-to-shoulder in Afghanistan. Our shared goal is to reach a peace agreement worthy of the sacrifices made over decades of war. Together we’re committed to achieving genuine intra-Afghan dialogue on a political settlement that ends the conflict,” Khalilzad tweeted.

In Kabul, Khalilzad will consult with the Afghan government and politicians regarding the status of the U.S. talks with the Taliban and encourage efforts to form an “inclusive” negotiating team, as well as discuss next steps in intra-Afghan dialogue, according to the U.S. State Department.

Latest News

Kabul police summons Afghan YouTuber Hamayon

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

Afghanistan’s YouTuber Hamayon Afghan was summoned to the police station for publishing a woman’s interview without her permission, Kabul police said.

The spokesman of Kabul Police Khalid Zadran said Friday on X that Hamayon interviewed an old woman and published the report without her permission.

“After the interview, the interviewee’s family complained to the police and the police summoned Hamayon Afghan to the police station,” said Zadran.

Zadran stated that police are working to solve the problem with the two sides’ agreement as soon as possible.

He urges people to avoid posting rumors on the issue.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Contract worth $53 million signed for construction of last section of Khaf–Herat railway

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

A contract worth $53 million was signed Thursday for the construction of the last section of Khaf-Herat railway that connects Afghanistan with Iran.

The contract was signed between Afghanistan Railway Authority and Gamma Group in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, his office said in a statement.

The segment is 47-kilometer long, stretching from Rabat Parian to Herat International Airport and the Industrial Town, according to the statement.

It added that completion and standard operational readiness are expected within approximately two years.

“Upon its completion, this segment will integrate the Khaf-Herat regional connectivity project with Iran’s significant seaports and facilitate access to Europe via the Turkish railway network,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, traversing Afghan territory, it will bolster commercial exchanges between Central and South Asia. Notably, this project’s realization will enable the expansion of railway networks into Farah, Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces,” it added.

Gamma operates across Europe and Asia in multiple sectors including construction, renewable energy, power transmission, mining, railways among others.

Continue Reading

Latest News

US urges IEA to fulfill counter-terrorism commitments

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The US State Department said on Thursday that Washington is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism.

“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism, and we continue to push the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) to fulfill all of their counterterrorism commitments to the international community,” the department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.

He reiterated that the United States had clearly communicated to the IEA that it’s their responsibility to ensure that “they give no safe haven to terrorists, whether it be Al Qaeda or ISIS-K or any other terrorist organization”.

Miller also reassured US allies that Washington was closely watching the developments in Afghanistan and was ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.

“We remain vigilant against the evolving threat of these terrorist groups, and our global coalition to defeat ISIS and the C5+1 help intensify our efforts to monitor terrorist threats from the region and prevent their ability to raise funds, travel, and spread propaganda,” he said.

C5+1 refers to a diplomatic platform involving the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgy­zstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the United States. It serves as a forum for discussing and addressing regional issues such as security, economic development, and cooperation.

“The United States remains vigilant against the evolving threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIS-K, and has maintained an unwavering focus on terrorism since President Joe Biden took office three years ago,” Miller said.

The US, he said, was “working both unilaterally and with its partners to successfully disrupt threats across the globe and degrade ISIS”.

“We will continue to work to hold ISIS accountable for its actions and to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western countries,” Miller said.

This comes as IEA has repeatedly said that it is committed to not allowing anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!