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Khalilzad returns to Doha hoping for tangible progress
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted Monday that he return to Doha and the region with expectations that both negotiating sides should make tangible progress in the next round of peace talks.
Khalilzad said “both sides must demonstrate they are acting in the best interests of the Afghan people by making real compromises and negotiating an agreement on a political settlement as soon as possible and an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire.”
Khalilzad said that current levels of violence, including targeted killings, is unacceptable and will undermine the peace process.
Khalilzad’s tweets came just hours after he met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad on Monday to discuss issues around regional security.
According to Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) the two sides discussed “matters of mutual interest including overall regional security situation with particular reference to ongoing Afghan reconciliation process.”
ISPR stated that both sides reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels.
Khalilzad “acknowledged Pakistan’s ongoing efforts for enduring peace in Afghanistan and the region,” ISPR stated.
Khalilzad’s visit to Doha coincides with the resumption of peace talks between the Afghan Republic’s team and the Taliban.
The two sides broke for a three-week break and are scheduled to resume talks on Tuesday.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, is likely to visit India next week, Indian newspaper Tribune reported.
Jalali will be the third minister from the Islamic Emirate to visit India, following Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce.
The visit comes as health cooperation between the two countries expands. New Delhi is currently supporting major medical infrastructure projects in Afghanistan and supplying medicines and vaccines to strengthen public health services.
Although India does not formally recognize the Islamic Emirate, it has recently sought to deepen its engagement with Kabul.
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