Monday, November 19, 2018
Kabul (BNA) Addressing journalists in Kabul on Sunday, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said the Taliban believes it cannot win the war militarily.
Khalilzad said he hopes a peace deal is reached before April 20 presidential elections and called on the Taliban to use it as an opportunity. He said he believes there is the potential for peace in Afghanistan and that the end state of ‘peace talks would be peace, a successful Afghanistan, one that doesn’t pose any threats to itself and to the international community.’
Khalilzad also said that the Taliban might bring changes to its team of negotiators and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” and “hopeful” about the talks.
US envoy briefing of journalists came after he returned to Kabul following three days of talks with the Taliban in Qatar, a Taliban official and another individual close to the group told Associated Press on Sunday.
Khalilzad has been touring the region in recent days and met with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday.
