Saudi Arabia to host Afghan peace next month

KABUL (Pajhwok): The next round of peace talks on a negotiated end to the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan would take place in Saudi Arabia next month, officials said on Thursday.

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Wednesday arrived in Kabul from three days of meetings in Abu Dhabi, including the fourth round of a quadrilateral meeting among the US, Afghanistan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The meetings were part of efforts by the US and international partners to promote an intra-Afghan dialogue aimed at ending the conflict in the landlocked country.

Meanwhile, reliable sources said decisions in the UAE centered on an amicable Afghan settlement and the next meeting would take place on January 15, 2019 in Saudi Arabia.

Mullah Amir Khan Mutaqi, representative of Taliban supremo Mullah Haibatullah, and Haqqani network leader Qari Yahya were also present. Two Pakistani military officials were also in attendance besides diplomats.

Earlier, national security advisors (NSAs) from Afghanistan, the US, Saudi Arabia and the UAE discussed the peace process. Afghan NSA Hamdullah Mohib has hinted a peace deal is around the corner.

On Wednesday, newly-appointed High Peace Council Secretary Omar Daudzai formally took charge of his office at a gathering in Kabul. He said peace would come to Afghanistan in the next few months.

“We will witness progress in the peace process in the coming few months and a team would be formed soon for working on an agreement with the Taliban,” he concluded.

sa/mud