United States Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said that agreeing on a ceasefire is the “quickest” way to prevent casualties, and that he will continue to push Taliban senior representative to allow their representatives for a face-to-face talks with Afghans on the matter.
“The quickest way to prevent casualties is to agree to a ceasefire. Taliban senior leadership should allow their representatives to come to the table and discuss. I will continue to press the case,” Khalilzad said in a series of tweet Monday.
3/4 The quickest way to prevent casualties is to agree to a ceasefire. Taliban senior leadership should allow their representatives to come to the table and discuss. I will continue to press the case.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) April 14, 2019
He explained that US came around the topic, playing a leading role for peace in Afghanistan, is upon the fact that war could do no good. And yet, Taliban prolong the process for ceasefire.
“The US entered peace talks because more war is not the answer. During talks, I’ve proposed ways to reduce violence. By refusing to work with us to end the killing, the Talibs are prolonging it, Khalilzad tweeted. “Let Afghan people judge whether Talib statements encouraging more violence is way forward.”
The Envoy said that the United States did not impose the war, which he says has gripped Afghanistan for decades and has claimed tens of thousands of “innocent lives”.
“We did not impose this war. Afghanistan has been at war for decades, at times with each other. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians have died. Rather than another season of fighting, Afghans are demanding a new way forward,” he further said in a tweet.
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- Khalilzad Pushes for Intra-Afghan Talks on Peace
Khalilzad visited Kabul two times earlier this month in which he held talks with Afghan leaders and politicians as well as civil society members, the Afghan youth and tribal elders where he discussed with them the way forward toward a peaceful Afghanistan.
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