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Khalilzad in Kabul as peace talks teams set to resume negotiations
As the Afghan Republic’s negotiating team left Kabul for Doha early Tuesday, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Afghanistan to discuss peace process issues with high-ranking government officials.
Khalilzad’s trip to Kabul is part of his regional visit, which will also include a stop in Qatar.
The intra-Afghan negotiations, scheduled to have started Tuesday, in Doha, is the second round of talks between the Republic’s team and the Taliban.
The teams are expected to focus on the agenda of the talks going forward and on a ceasefire.
According to the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah: “The leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation on Monday evening met with the Afghan Republic negotiators and discussed the latest developments in the peace process and provided the team clear guidelines for the next round of talks.”
He also said the Republic’s team has the full support of the nation and is authorized to discuss the peace agenda.
“We are committed to achieving a lasting peace, and we ask the Taliban to do their part. We are looking for a successful second round,” he said.
On Monday, Khalilzad stated he “returns to Doha and the region with expectations that the parties will make tangible progress in the next round of Afghanistan peace negotiations”.
“Both sides must demonstrate they are acting in the best interest of the Afghan people by making real compromises and negotiating an agreement on a political settlement as soon as possible and an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire,” Khalilzad said.
“The current levels of violence, including targeted killings, is unacceptable. Those perpetuating the violence seek to undermine the peace process and the country’s future. They do not reflect the will of the Afghan people, who yearn for peace,” he said.
On Monday, he met with Pakistani officials including Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
After the meeting, Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated they discussed “matters of mutual interest including overall regional security situation with particular reference to ongoing Afghan reconciliation process.”
Terrorist activities continue to be observed along Afghanistan borders and along the India–Pakistan–Afghanistan corridor, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Monday.
Speaking to Russia-based media outlet TV BRICS, Lavrov pointed to ongoing concerns in the Middle East, including its Asian regions.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration with India at the United Nations to advance a global counter-terrorism convention.
Lavrov stated that while the draft convention has already been prepared, consensus on its adoption has not yet been reached.
Russia has repeatedly expressed concern about militant threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed the concerns saying that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against any country.
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
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