The US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said that the two parties to the Afghan conflict have requested negotiations between them without international mediation, indicating that the initial indications are positive.
In a speech to a seminar in Washington, Khalilzad said, "So far, the indications are positive, as the two parties have requested negotiations between them without any international mediation. The first stage of negotiations has shown more progress than many expected."
He added that the Afghan government and Taliban delegations met and started building relationships and laying down rules, adding that "there are no guarantees that Afghans will exploit the opportunities available to them because of the challenges ahead."
In another context, the US envoy said that the United States called on Iran to conduct negotiations on the future of Afghanistan, and at the same time warned it against encouraging factions loyal to it against targeting US and coalition forces.
Khalilzad added that Iran wants to see the Americans pay a heavy price in Afghanistan without achieving any victory, as he put it.
The direct negotiations between the Kabul government and the Taliban began in Doha about a week ago, amid an international welcome. The commander of US forces and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, described them as "very promising."