Taliban, Khalilzad, US General discuss Afghan peace
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Taliban delegates meet Yusuf Al Qaradawi (second from the right)
Doha/Kabul: On Monday, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said that US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. Miller met the militant group's deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Doha to discuss the peace process in the war-torn country.
The parties discussed the implementation of the Doha agreement, calling it "significant for the resolution of Afghanistan issue".
Also, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Zalmay Khalilzad and American Commander Gen. Scott Miller held a meeting on Monday.
The meeting took place on Monday as Ghani embarked on a two-nation trip earlier in the day to Qatar and Kuwait, reports TOLO News.
In a series of tweets after the meeting, Khalilzad said: "I told the President that Afghans should not let the opportunity for peace to slip away. He said he supports the Islamic Republic negotiators doing their work as long as it takes. I said I'm encouraged by what I heard from all sides, including the two teams' commitment to peace.
"We call on all nations, especially the neighbours and other key players, to do the same.
"A significant reduction in violence will save lives; increase trust; broaden support for peace; and help the negotiating teams make progress at a faster pace. This is what the Afghan people want. And the US stands with them.
"Violence is too high, and too many Afghans are dying... We are pressing for a significant reduction in violence that will lead to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
"General Miller and I affirmed ongoing US support to Afghanistan, our partnership, and a peace process meant to produce a political settlement and an end to decades of war."
The opening ceremony for the intra-Afghan talks was held on September 12, but the two sides were yet to begin direct negotiations, TOLO News reported.
Their contact group have so far held seven meetings to discuss procedural rules for the talks.
The two sides have yet to agree on two matters: the religious basis for the talks and the relevance of the US-Taliban deal.
Meanwhile, the Taliban leaders also met renowned theologian Yusuf Al Qaradawi. Abdul Ghani Baradar met the Islamic scholar on the afternoon. Taliban spokesperson tweeted,
1/This afternoon, the chief of the negotiating team of the Islamic Emirate Sheikh Maulvi Abdul Hakim and his panel met with the prominent religious scholar of the Islamic world Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.
— Dr.M.Naeem (@IeaOffice) October 5, 2020
He expressed his happiness at seeing the delegation of the Islamic Emirate