Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah’s office says the US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad – who visited Kabul this week – in a meeting with Abdullah called for the formation of an inclusive and national negotiating team for intra-Afghan negotiations.

Abdullah’s spokesman Mujib Rahman Rahimi said that the negotiation team proposed by the Presidential Palace “is not acceptable” and that it should be formed after discussions with political parties and movements.

The US embassy in Kabul also mentioned in a statement on Feb. 2 that “in all his meetings (in Kabul), Ambassador Khalilzad emphasized Afghans should continue to focus on bringing together an inclusive Islamic Republic negotiating team and preparing for Intra-Afghan Negotiations.”

“Both Mr. Khalilzad insisted on the formation of an inclusive (negotiating) team, also, all our international friends, embassies, special envoys and other offices that operate in Afghanistan, including the United Nations, are insisting that an inclusive team should be formed for negotiations that will represent all movements in Afghanistan,” Rahimi said.

Khalilzad met with President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah as well as with a range of other Afghan leaders to hear their views, according to a US embassy statement.

“Khalilzad’s demand was a national and inclusive team in which all the Afghan people will see themselves in it and conduct comprehensive negotiations with the Taliban,” said Ahmadullah Alizai, head of Asas-e-Naw Afghanistan party.

But the Presidential Palace reiterated that all political parties and movements have been consulted on the formation of a negotiating team.

“If we are supposed to make a list of all political movements and their colleagues, we will not get a result. They should trust the government, but we are working with politicians in the discussion and dialogue process,” presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

The Presidential Palace has not provided details about the members of its team, but it has said that it will have up to 20 members.