Speaking in a joint press conference with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said a peace deal with the Taliban was closer than ever before.
General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary General, while speaking in a joint press conference with New Zealand’s primer minister, said a peace deal with the Taliban was closer than ever before. He added that there was a real chance for peace in Afghanistan.
Appreciating New Zealand’s military contribution in NATO mission in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said, “New Zealand’s contribution has been of great importance.” He further added that NATO strongly support all efforts to achieve a negotiated political solution.
The remarks came after Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, tweeted Monday that the two sides had made “excellent progress.”
On Monday, Mr. Khalilzad left Doha for Delhi, aiming to build international consensus to support the Afghan peace process.
“My team & Taliban representatives will continue to discuss technical details as well as steps and mechanisms required for a successful implementation of the four-part agreement we’ve been working toward since my appointment. Agreement on these details is essential.” Khalilzad stated.
The eight round of US-Taliban peace talks begun on August 03 in Doha, Qatar.
Arriving in Doha, the US peace envoy said that they were pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement; a peace agreement that enables withdrawal.
He had previously said that US presence in Afghanistan was conditions-based, and any withdrawal would be conditions-based.
