International
Taliban offers direct talks with United States to end the conflict in Afghanistan
The Supreme Leader of Taliban Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada, in a message ahead of Eid has offered direct negotiations with the US in a bid to end the conflict in Afghanistan, reported the Tolo News.
“If the American officials truly believe in a peaceful end to the Afghan imbroglio then they must directly present themselves to the negotiation table so that this tragedy (invasion) — the destructive effects of which mainly harm the American and Afghan people — can be resolved through talks,” said Akhundzada.
“The biggest mistake on part of the American officials is that they approach every problem with stubbornness but force cannot yield results in every case,” he added.
“The only path to rescuing ourselves from all these calamities is for all American and other occupying forces to leave our country and for an independent, Islamic, intra-Afghan government to take root.
“… We have kept the doors of understanding and negotiations open to reach this objective and appointed the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate as the exclusive avenue of activity in this regard,” Akhundzada added.
Deputy Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Senior Director for Central Asia at the National Security Council, Lisa Curtis, said that US cannot act on behalf of Afghan officials in the peace talks with the Taliban, but they want to participate.
“The United States is ready to participate in the discussion, but we cannot serve as a substitute for the Afghan government and the Afghan people. A political settlement must be negotiated through a process that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,” said Curtis.
