America Remains As Long As Taliban Decide to Join Peace Talks :Tillerson

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the American forces will remain in Afghanistan as long as the Taliban militant group has not decided to join a peace process and form a government that suit the needs of the culture of Afghanistan.

“It is about a commitment, a message to the Taliban and other elements that we’re not going anywhere,” speaking on US-India partnership at an American think-tank Secretary Tillerson said,” we’ll be [in Afghanistan] as long as it takes for you to change your mind and decide you want to engage with the Afghan Government in a reconciliation process and develop a form of government that does suit the needs of the culture of Afghanistan.”

The top U.S. diplomat added that as Washington implements President Trump’s new South Asia strategy its relations with Islamabad is based on Pakistan own merits.

“Our relationships in the region stand on their own merits. We expect Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups based within their own borders that threaten their own people and the broader region. In doing so, Pakistan furthers stability and peace for itself and its neighbors, and improves its own international standing,” Tillerson urged.

Now the U.S. Secretary of State also believes that Afghanistan’s issue is a regional issue and it can be solved by addressing regional challenges. Tillerson says Afghanistan issue needs Pakistan sincere efforts to stabilize itself, Afghanistan and the region.

“We think that is achievable and we can have a stable, peaceful Afghanistan. And when that happens, a big threat is removed from Pakistan’s future stability as well, which then creates a better condition for India-Pakistan relationships,” he concluded.

By Hesamuddin Hesam