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Khalilzad says intra-Afghan negotiations “must begin immediately”
The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said that the intra-Afghan negotiations “must begin immediately” after the roadblock ahead of the prisoner releases was resolved.
“We welcome the government now having exceeded 3000 Talib prisoners released and the Taliban 500+. It is important that the process continues and the prisoners’ release roadblock resolved,” Khalilzad said in a series tweets.
He added that the Afghan-owned, Afghan-led negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban negotiating team “must begin immediately thereafter.”
(2/4) The Afghan-owned, Afghan-led negotiations between the inclusive Islamic Republic team and the Taliban negotiating team must begin immediately thereafter. From the start, getting to intra-Afghan negotiations (IAN) has been a key objective of our diplomacy.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) June 11, 2020
“From the start, getting to intra-Afghan negotiations (IAN) has been a key objective of our diplomacy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US official has welcomed the Taliban statement specifying they will participate in the intra-Afghan negotiation within one week of the prisoner release commitment outlined in our agreement.
“Although many practical details need to be worked out, these developments are all very positive,” he noted.
“We are closer to the goal of IAN than ever before,” Khalilzad tweeted.
He urged all sides to sit around the negotiations table “as soon as possible” and “prevent spoilers from undermining the process and betraying the hopes and yearning of Afghan people for peace.”
It comes as the Afghan Presidential Palace says that the time and place for holding the Intra-Afghan talks will be determined soon.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, has said in his meetings with the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff and the head of the U.S. Institute of Peace that the peace talks are moving in the right direction.
Meeting with the Qatari special envoy, Hamid Karzai, and Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf has also called the recent peace efforts hopeful.
It is said that the Intra-Afghan talks will begin in mid-June once the process of releasing prisoners by both sides is completed.
Also, the United States, Russia, and Afghanistan are going to discuss the process of the IAN negotiation, this Monday.
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Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff
Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”
Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”
He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.
He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.
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Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.
The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.
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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.
During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.
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