US Will Sign Peace Agreement with Future Afghan Government: Saikal

Mahmoud Saikal Former Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations said on Thursday that there will be no agreement for signing at the end of ongoing talks between the U.S. and Taliban representatives in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Speaking with Ariana News, Saikal said, after agreeing on all issues, Washington will sign a peace agreement with the future government of Afghanistan in which Taliban will also have their share.

“As far as I know and based on the U.S. officials, the final peace agreement will be signed between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he said.

The sixth round of direct talks between the U.S. and Taliban representatives launched at the beginning of May in Doha where the two sides are discussing four main topics including foreign forces withdrawal from Afghanistan and ensuring that Afghanistan’s territory is not used as a threat to any other country.

However, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Joseph Dunford has told that American troops are needed in Afghanistan until there is no insurgency left in the country.

“It is my judgment right now that the conditions for a complete withdrawal aren’t there,” Dunford said during a congressional hearing.

“I think we will need to maintain our counterterrorism presence as long as an insurgency continues in Afghanistan,” he added.

At the same time, Jawid Ludin, former Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister emphasizes on the importance of “intra-Afghan dialogue”.