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US peace envoy meets with Afghan leaders in Kabul
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Kabul on Monday and immediately met with Afghan leaders to discuss the recent developments around the peace process.
The Presidential Palace (ARG) said Khalilzad met with President Ashraf Ghani on Monday afternoon. ARG stated they discussed Khalilzad’s recent trips to neighboring countries and to Doha and the next steps in the peace process.
Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation also met with Khalilzad on Monday.
“We discussed the peace process, new initiatives, latest political developments and steps forward,” Abdullah said in a tweet.
Abdullah also said that during the meeting: “We reiterated our call for a political settlement and acceleration of the peace efforts.”
Khalilzad’s visit to Kabul is the second in two weeks and takes place amid growing efforts by various stakeholders to get the Afghan Republic and the Taliban to reach a political settlement.
The push for peace by the US has included a draft peace plan which was handed to all parties to the conflict and other influential parties and outlined a plan for an interim government. Another suggestion was that involving a summit, in Turkey.
Moscow has since however organized another peace meeting that is expected to take place in Russia on Thursday. The Afghan government and the Taliban have both indicated that they will be attending the meeting.
Earlier Monday, US and Qatari officials meanwhile met with the Taliban’s deputy leader in Doha.
Khalilzad, and Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Monday met with Mullar Baradar, said Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman.
According to Naeem, the implementation of the Doha deal was discussed at the meeting.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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