Zalmay Khalilzad

Intra-Afghan peace talks resume in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) – Dozens of powerful Afghans resumed talks with the Taliban on Monday, July 8 in Doha, where a possible ceasefire is on the table along with key issues such as women’s rights. Stakes are high for the talks which follow a week of U.S.-Taliban negotiations with both sides eyeing a resolution to the bloody 18-year conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the Afghan gathering “has been a long time coming” and praised the country’s “government, civil society, women, and Taliban” for coming together. Washington has said it wants to seal a political deal with the Taliban ahead of Afghan presidential polls due in September to allow foreign forces to begin to withdraw. Around 70 delegates are attending the two-day gathering which has been organized by Germany and Qatar. “History will remember those who were able to set their differences aside for the sake of the country” said Germany envoy Markus Potzel as he opened the gathering Sunday. A German source confirmed the second day of talks got underway just before 0600 GMT. Delegate Asila Wardak, a member of the High Peace Council established by former president Hamid Karzai to engage with Taliban elements, said …

Read More »

Khalilzad should persist with Taliban talks to end the endless Afghanistan war

Despite the second-guessing, nobody has come up with a better solution for Afghanistan than negotiations with the Taliban, retired US Ambassador Herman J. Cohen argues

Read More »

Germany and Qatar push for Afghanistan-Taliban peace talks

Germany and Qatar are working to organize an "inter-Afghan dialogue," in an effort to start formal talks between the government and Taliban

Read More »

Afghanistan-Taliban summit postponed indefinitely

Hopes for a breakthrough in a push to end Afghanistan's conflict suffered a major setback after talks between the Taliban and Afghan officials were indefinitely postponed

Read More »

US and Taliban negotiators pause ‘productive’ Afghanistan peace talks in Doha

The US and Taliban paused negotiations in Doha, with the diplomatic push aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan set to restart over the weekend

Read More »

US envoy and Taliban leader Baradar meet ahead of Afghanistan peace talks

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met the Taliban's top political leader in Doha in what is believed to be the highest level engagement between the US and the Taliban

Read More »

Thorny peace process leaves Afghanistan with a sense of deja vu

The path to peace in Afghanistan, fast-tracked by US President Trump’s rush to withdraw troops, has left many Afghans with a sense of deja vu

Read More »

Taliban and US hold more talks on ending Afghanistan conflict

Taliban and US officials held talks on ending the Afghan conflict, the militants confirmed, but said no agreement was reached on "any issue."

Read More »

Taliban confirms talks with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar

A Taliban delegation met with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar to discuss ending the Afghan conflict

Read More »