Khalilzad meets with Ghani and Abdullah to discuss peace process

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) Chairman Abdullah Abdullah Monday to discuss the Afghan peace process.

The Presidential Palace (Arg) said in a statement that Khalilzad briefed Ghani on the latest progress in the peace process.

In his meeting with Khalilzad, Ghani stated that the Afghan peace process should be adjusted based on new realities as foreign troops started to withdraw from Afghanistan, the statement said.

“Based on the beginning of the new season of relations (between Afghanistan and US) after the announcement of the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, President Ghani stressed the need to update the peace process with new realities,” the statement said.

Ghani stated that peace is “urgent” for the government and people of Afghanistan, but “the process must be in line with the new realities of Afghanistan.”

Khalilzad, meanwhile, met with Abdullah on Monday afternoon and discussed a new chapter of mutual cooperation between Afghanistan and the international community, the HCNR said in a statement.

Highlighting the need for regional and international consensus for the Afghan peace process, Khalilzad stated that the US will “use its influence to establish and maintain that consensus.”

According to the statement, Abdullah mentioned the Taliban as the main obstacle for achieving peace.

Abdullah emphasized that the existing opportunity should be used to achieve peace in the country.