‘We made significant progress on counter terrorism, troop withdrawal’: Khalilzad

ISLAMABAD: United States (US) Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday confirmed that they had made significant progress on two vital issues, counter terrorism and troop withdrawal during the recent round of US-Taliban talks in Doha.

Zalmay Khalilzad said in a tweet, “That doesn’t mean we’re done. We’re not even finished with these issues yet, and there is still work to be done on other vital issues like intra-Afghan dialogue and a complete ceasefire.”

He said that the path to peace did not often run in a straight line and added that the situation in Afghanistan was complex and like all sensitive talks. The US envoy said that everything could not be disclosed in public.

In another tweet, Khalilzad said, “Skeptics have rushed to judgment based on just the first part of a much larger effort, as though we have a completed agreement. But you can’t eat an elephant in one bite.”

He said that a forty-year old war could not be resolved in one meeting. The US special representative said that it was a moment for Afghans to begin to heal old wounds and chart a new course for their country.

He further said that there were many players, many issues, and many moving parts in Afghanistan. The US envy said that they were on the right path and added that the talks were proceeding well.