US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has said that Washington is very much focused on date and local of the intra-Afghan talks.

“On the intra-Afghan negotiations, the date and the location are two of the issues that we’re very much focused on right now among other issues regarding intra-Afghan negotiations.  As you can imagine, both sides, meaning the government or the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan team and leadership and the Taliban, have to agree on those issues and others, location.  And there are obviously several countries that have offered to host those negotiations, but two sides have to agree where, “he told reporters during a news briefing at the US State Department.

He added that the USA is focused now on getting to the intra-Afghan negotiations, which is really the most important for Afghans to have peace is an agreement on a roadmap for a political settlement between the representatives of Afghanistan’s Islamic Republic, an inclusive team that was established some weeks ago, and the Taliban.

Asked about resolution of disputes between Afghan political leaders, Khalilzad said: “They are working together on an agenda for peace. We’re beginning to discuss with them where the intra-Afghan negotiations will take place, when it will take place, what role will the international community play, and those are the kind of issues that we are focused on.”

“we’re optimistic that finally we are moving forward to the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations.  And not only we are trying to make sure that the remaining issues dealing with the prisoners release, which is that up to 5,000 prisoners have to be released by the government, and all the prisoners that the Talibs have must be released before intra-Afghan negotiations can begin, and that we are hoping that violence will stay low so with the release of prisoners we can begin the intra-Afghan negotiations about the future of Afghanistan and an end to the war in that country which has been going on for 40 years,” he went on saying.

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