U.S. special envoy meets Pakistan army chief to discuss Afghan peace steps

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – The U.S. particular envoy for Afghanistan and the commander of NATO forces there met Pakistan’s military chief on Monday to debate the war-torn nation’s peace course of at a pivotal juncture for the stalled negotiations.

Pakistan is the third nation that U.S. Particular Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has visited within the final week as Washington appears to be like to inject new life into Afghan peacemaking with a U.S. troop withdrawal deadline looming in Might.

Khalilzad and Basic Scott Miller, the pinnacle of U.S. forces and the NATO-led non-combat Resolute Assist mission, met Basic Qamar Javed Bajwa at Pakistani military headquarters in Rawalpindi, based on the media wing of Pakistan’s army.

“Issues of mutual curiosity, regional safety and ongoing Afghanistan Reconciliation Course of have been mentioned through the assembly,” an announcement stated. “The visiting dignitary enormously appreciated Pakistan’s position within the ongoing peace course of.”

Pakistan is seen as a key participant in Afghan peacemaking and has been acknowledged by Washington for serving to to carry the rebel Taliban to the negotiating desk.

However the course of has stalled amidst a resurgence of violence and disputes over the agenda for negotiations, together with ceasefire preparations.

The U.S. particular envoy proposed a shake-up of the method this week throughout visits to Kabul and the Qatari capital Doha, the venue for negotiations, based on diplomatic and political sources.

Khalilzad shared a letter with Afghanistan’s president and prime peace official, printed in native media and verified by Reuters, which stated Washington would ask the United Nations to convene international ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and United States “to debate a unified method to supporting peace in Afghanistan.”

The State Division declined to substantiate the letter’s veracity, however stated on Sunday after it was printed by media that every one choices stay on the desk for its remaining 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.