WASHINGTON – The US Secretary of States Mike Pompeo is declining to sign the US-Taliban “draft agreement”, which both parties yield of roughly a year negotiations held mostly in Doha, Qatar, according to sources.
The “agreement in principle” that United States special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has obtained in nine round of talks with the Taliban representatives includes a withdrawal of some 5,400 US troops from several bases in Afghanistan within 135 days, which sparked mix of reactions and criticism.
Later the day, Pompeo said through a spokesperson that he might sign if Trump and all parties struck a deal.
“There is no agreement to sign yet. If and when there is an agreement that is approved by all parties, including President Trump and if the Secretary is the appropriate signatory, he will sign it,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement as TIME quoted.
· Critics Warn U.S. Approach of Peace Deal a Risk to ‘Civil War’
· Afghan Gov’t Concern about ‘Consequences’ of U.S.-Taliban Deal: Sediqqi
Earlier this week, the majority of American ambassadors to Afghanistan since fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 have condemned the United States approach to negotiating troop withdrawal, warning it risked a return to “total civil war”.
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said Wednesday Afghan government is concerned about the possible “consequences and risks” of the United States agreement with the Taliban.
“We want clarification on the document (draft agreement) to thoroughly analyze the risks and its adverse consequences in order to prevent the risks,” he tweeted in a local language Wednesday.
The US-Taliban negotiations is making a deal on four major points: the foreign troops withdrawal still in Afghanistan, Intra-Afghan dialogue, Counterterrorism assurance and a comprehensive ceasefire.
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