Meeting in Qatar: USA see "significant progress" after Taliban talks

The US and representatives of the radical Islamic Taliban have evidently approached each other in the recent round of talks in the Gulf Emirate of Qatar. After six days of talks, US delegation chief Zalmay Khalilzad wrote in the Short Message Service Twitter that the meetings had been more productive than in the past. "We have made significant progress on important issues," said Khalilzad.

He wanted to build on that and continue the talks shortly. There are quite a few problems to be solved. "Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," Khalilzad wrote. This includes an intra-Afghan dialogue between the government and the Taliban and a comprehensive ceasefire. Khalilzad stated that he now wants to travel to Kabul for further consultations. According to media reports, there has been talk of progress in Taliban circles.

The fifth round of talks between Taliban officials and Washington since July 2018 had begun on Monday. The US State Department said on Tuesday that Khalilzad had traveled to Doha for two-day talks. The day before, the Taliban had stated that a new round of negotiations with the US had begun.

Change of course in Washington

The US envoy had met with Taliban officials several times without Washington officially confirming it. According to the Taliban, the talks should now discuss the withdrawal of US troops from the country. In addition, it should be clarified how to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists and attacking other countries from within the country.

Since the summer of the previous year, the US has increasingly sought to resolve the longstanding conflict in Afghanistan through negotiations. After a policy change, Washington opened direct talks with the Taliban.

Before that, the US had always stated that the Taliban should negotiate with the Afghan government that a peace process should be conducted under Afghan leadership. The United States, however, now emphasized that their talks should lead to direct talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul. The Taliban have always rejected this and called Kabul a "puppet regime".