Sunday, August 4, 2019

U.S. - Taliban Peace Talks Resume



RFE: U.S. Envoy Ready To Sign 'Good Agreement' With Taliban As Qatar Talks Resume

The U.S. peace envoy seeking to negotiate an end to the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan said Washington was ready to sign a "good agreement" with the Taliban.

Zalmay Khalilzad's remarks came as U.S. and Taliban negotiators met on August 3 in the Qatari capital Doha for an eighth round of peace talks.

A bilateral U.S.-Taliban agreement will cover the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for guarantees by the Taliban not to harbor terrorist groups.

That deal will be a prelude to intra-Afghan peace negotiations on a political settlement and a permanent cease-fire.

"The Taliban are signaling they would like to conclude an agreement," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter late August 2. "We are ready for a good agreement."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A lot of Afghans are skeptical on where this is all leading .... Young Afghans Wary as Possible US-Taliban Deal Nears (Military.com/AFP). In the meantime the war grinds on .... Civilian casualties in Afghan war jump in July (AFP). More here .... July casualties in Afghanistan highest since May 2017: UNAMA (Al Jazeera).

More News On U.S. - Taliban Peace Talks Resuming

US, Taliban push for peace deal in new round of Doha talks -- Al Jazeera
US, Taliban push for peace in day two of talks -- Gulf News/AFP
Taliban-US hold fresh talks in Doha amid peace deal hopes -- DW
Withdrawal from Afghanistan will be condition-based: Khalilzad -- Khaama Press

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