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US, Taliban to Renew Push for Afghan Peace

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The United States is set to formally restart peace talks
   with the Taliban insurgency, nearly three months after President Donald
   Trump abruptly suspended the year-long process aimed at finding a
   political settlement to the war in Afghanistan.

   U.S. chief peace negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Kabul Wednesday
   for meetings with government representatives and other Afghan leaders
   before heading to the Gulf nation of Qatar, where Taliban interlocutors
   are based, according to a State Department announcement. It did not
   give a date for Khalilzad's visit to the Qatari capital, Doha.

   "In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will rejoin talks with the Taliban to
   discuss steps that could lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and a
   peaceful settlement of the war, specifically a reduction in violence
   that leads to a cease-fire," it noted. Taliban sources expect the
   meeting with Khalilzad will take place next week.

   The U.S. statement said that during his stay in the Afghan capital,
   Khalilzad will follow up on Trump's recent Thanksgiving Day visit to
   the country, the site of America's longest war, and discuss "how best
   to support accelerated efforts" to get all parties to Afghan-to-Afghan
   peace negotiations.

   The Afghan-born American diplomat led his team in nine rounds of talks
   with the insurgent group in Qatar before Trump canceled them on Sept.
   7. Trump cited a spate of Taliban attacks in Kabul that killed a U.S.
   soldier among others.

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