WASHINGTON – US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad will land in Islamabad on Tuesday as part of the peace process.
According to a press release by US State Department, accompanied by an interagency delegation, Khalilzad will travel to Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar during his 18-day tour, from Dec 2 to 20.
During his visit to Islamabad, the US envoy will meet Pakistan’s civil-military leadership and hold talks.
“Special Representative Khalilzad will be in communication with President Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah, and other Afghan stakeholders to coordinate closely on efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table with the Afghan government and other Afghans,” stated the communique.
The US special representative to Afghanistan will meet Afghan government officials and other parties to work on Afghan peace process for which the Trump administration, as well as Russia, is toiling hard.
And I’m off again: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Watch this space for updates on our efforts to support & facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan. https://t.co/hf1ftW4Wzb
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) December 3, 2018
Khalilzad last visited the region in November, where he met with members of the Afghan civil society and other government officials to find common grounds for peace talks.
Khalilzad’s visit comes days after US President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan seeking Pakistan’s assistance in the Afghan peace process.
The US president has also sought Pakistan’s assistance to bring the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table, Imran Khan disclosed in a conversation withTV anchors.
Trump’s letter comes on the heels of accusations by the Republican leader who alleged that Pakistan had done nothing for US.
In an interview with Fox News on Nov 18, the US leader had referred to the suspension of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) and defended his move to block the release of funds to Islamabad.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/pakistan-has-not-done-a-damn-thing-for-us-trump-unleashes-rant-against-islamabad/
A day after the US president ranted that Pakistan did not “do a damn thing for us,” PM Khan suggested in a series of tweets that Trump should examine his own country’s failed “war on terror” and stop “making Pakistan a scapegoat.”
