WASHINGTON: The United States is open to conserving direct talks with the Taliban to inspire negotiations between the militant team and the Afghan govt to finish 17 years of war, US officials said.
That marks a tactical shift by means of the Trump administration, which has up to now only seemed prepared to take part in discussions with the Taliban if the ones talks additionally involve the Afghan govt. The US officials said Monday that Afghan-to-Afghan negotiation remains the goal of any engagement with the militants.
The officials were not approved to talk to media and asked anonymity.
The Taliban have long refused direct talks with the Afghan govt, tough as an alternative to negotiate with Washington. The militants have endured in that stance despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s unilateral extension of a vacation cease-fire remaining month in hopes of encouraging the militants to come to the bargaining desk. With the Taliban proceeding to mount deadly assaults, Ghani ordered govt forces to resume military operations this month.
The exceptional, three-day cease-fire by means of either side had introduced a unprecedented glimpse of peace for Afghans all the way through which militants fraternized with safety power participants.
A Taliban legitimate in the small Gulf Arab country of Qatar instructed The Associated Press on Monday that no American legitimate or intermediary has been in touch with them to begin direct talks, and it had only heard of it in the media. The administration’s willingness to carry direct talks with the Taliban was once first reported by means of The New York Times on Sunday.
The Taliban legitimate, who additionally spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was once approved to talk to journalists, said, "We wait for them to officially inform us." But he added that if the United States is excited about talks, it must take steps to get Taliban leaders off a sanctions blacklist and give a boost to the formal opening of the Taliban place of work in Qatar where its political representatives reside. The legitimate reiterated the Taliban’s name for the withdrawal of overseas troops from Afghanistan.
Asked if the United States was once prepared to carry direct talks with the Taliban, the State Department said Monday, the United States "is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process in close consultation with the Afghan government."
The department added that "any negotiations over the political future of Afghanistan will be between the Taliban and Afghan government."
Last August, President Donald Trump launched an Afghanistan technique that targeted on boosting the features of Afghan safety forces and aiming — with help from Pakistan and other international locations — to compel the militants to negotiate. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Afghanistan remaining week to give a boost to its give a boost to for talks.
"The United States will support, facilitate, and participate in these peace discussions, but peace must be decided by the Afghans and settled among them. We expect that these peace talks will include a discussion of the role of international actors and forces," Pompeo said after assembly Ghani in Kabul on July nine.
The US invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror assaults, and ousted the Taliban govt that had hosted al-Qaida. It has about 15,000 troops in Afghanistan, most commonly for training govt forces.
The battle appears stalemated, with insurgents controlling or contesting greater than 40 % of the rustic. The UN mission in Afghanistan said Sunday that 1,692 civilians have been killed in violence in the first six months of this yr, the perfect six-month dying toll because the systematic documentation of civilian casualties began in 2009.
That marks a tactical shift by means of the Trump administration, which has up to now only seemed prepared to take part in discussions with the Taliban if the ones talks additionally involve the Afghan govt. The US officials said Monday that Afghan-to-Afghan negotiation remains the goal of any engagement with the militants.
The officials were not approved to talk to media and asked anonymity.
The Taliban have long refused direct talks with the Afghan govt, tough as an alternative to negotiate with Washington. The militants have endured in that stance despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s unilateral extension of a vacation cease-fire remaining month in hopes of encouraging the militants to come to the bargaining desk. With the Taliban proceeding to mount deadly assaults, Ghani ordered govt forces to resume military operations this month.
The exceptional, three-day cease-fire by means of either side had introduced a unprecedented glimpse of peace for Afghans all the way through which militants fraternized with safety power participants.
A Taliban legitimate in the small Gulf Arab country of Qatar instructed The Associated Press on Monday that no American legitimate or intermediary has been in touch with them to begin direct talks, and it had only heard of it in the media. The administration’s willingness to carry direct talks with the Taliban was once first reported by means of The New York Times on Sunday.
The Taliban legitimate, who additionally spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was once approved to talk to journalists, said, "We wait for them to officially inform us." But he added that if the United States is excited about talks, it must take steps to get Taliban leaders off a sanctions blacklist and give a boost to the formal opening of the Taliban place of work in Qatar where its political representatives reside. The legitimate reiterated the Taliban’s name for the withdrawal of overseas troops from Afghanistan.
Asked if the United States was once prepared to carry direct talks with the Taliban, the State Department said Monday, the United States "is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process in close consultation with the Afghan government."
The department added that "any negotiations over the political future of Afghanistan will be between the Taliban and Afghan government."
Last August, President Donald Trump launched an Afghanistan technique that targeted on boosting the features of Afghan safety forces and aiming — with help from Pakistan and other international locations — to compel the militants to negotiate. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Afghanistan remaining week to give a boost to its give a boost to for talks.
"The United States will support, facilitate, and participate in these peace discussions, but peace must be decided by the Afghans and settled among them. We expect that these peace talks will include a discussion of the role of international actors and forces," Pompeo said after assembly Ghani in Kabul on July nine.
The US invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror assaults, and ousted the Taliban govt that had hosted al-Qaida. It has about 15,000 troops in Afghanistan, most commonly for training govt forces.
The battle appears stalemated, with insurgents controlling or contesting greater than 40 % of the rustic. The UN mission in Afghanistan said Sunday that 1,692 civilians have been killed in violence in the first six months of this yr, the perfect six-month dying toll because the systematic documentation of civilian casualties began in 2009.
Officials: In policy shift, US open to meeting with Taliban
![Officials: In policy shift, US open to meeting with Taliban]()
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July 17, 2018
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