Afghan Politicians Concerned of U.S.-Taliban Recent Peace Talks: Spanta

Former Afghan National Security Advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta says the United States should consider the 17-year achievements of the Afghan government in peace talks with the Taliban armed group.

Speaking in a special interview with Ariana News on Saturday, Spanta said the Afghan politicians are concerned of the U.S.’s new approach towards reaching a political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

But he stressed that the U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is “aware” of the situation in Afghanistan and that he hopes the government’s 17-year achievements will be considered in peace talks with the Taliban.

Spanta, meanwhile, said that an interim government should be established to ensure peace in Afghanistan, insisting that the coming presidential elections should be delayed in the country.

This comes as Khalilzad recently met with the Taliban delegation for the second time in Qatar. According to close figures to the Taliban, the exchange of Taliban prisoners and having a clear mechanism for peace talks were among the issues as the two sides discussed in their meeting.