US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and General Scott Miller, commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, visited Islamabad on Thursday, where they met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. 

Khalilzad, Miller, and Bajwa affirmed the need for a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan as peace negotiations between the two sides move forward, according to a statement by US embassy in Islamabad. 

In this meeting, Khalilzad and Bajwa agreed that intra-Afghan direct negotiations are an historic opportunity for achieving peace in Afghanistan and for the region, the statement said, adding that “they also agreed the opportunity must not be lost and past mistakes should not be repeated.”

They discussed the efforts countries who support the peace process can undertake to help Afghans reach a political settlement and to implement it. 

They also discussed Pakistani Prime Minister Khan’s upcoming visit to Afghanistan and the roadmap that would guide Pakistan-Afghanistan relations after there is a peace agreement.

Peace Process should Conclude in Months, Not Years

In an interview with TOLOnews this week, Khalilzad said he expects the Afghan peace process to be concluded in months, not years.

Khalilzad also said that the current scale of violence in Afghanistan is not acceptable and that it is strange how the Taliban has stopped attacks on foreigners but continues attacking Afghans.

“The Taliban attacks are not taking place against the foreign forces...we are happy with that, but, on the other side, the war continues against Afghans,” said Khalilzad.

This comes as delegates from both sides of the Afghan peace talks have struggled for nearly a month to agree on the procedural rules of the formal talks between the two sides. However, no breakthrough has been achieved so far.

Last week Khalilzad landed in Doha, causing speculation that his mission was to mediate between the two sides. But Khalilzad himself said that he traveled to Doha for the purpose of implementing the US-Taliban peace agreement and to assist in attempts to reduce violence.

Although the Afghan government has refused to accept the US-Taliban deal as the foundation of the talks, Khalilzad believes that US-Taliban deal does in fact provide a valid basis.

National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib said on Tuesday that the current negotiations that are underway in Doha are taking place only between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban, stating that there are no foreign mediators in the room, nor are any wanted.

The opening ceremony for the negotiations was held on September 12, but the two sides of the talks have not yet started their direct negotiations. However, they have held seven meetings between their contact groups to discuss procedural rules for the talks.