WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: Senior United States (US) State Department official on Saturday said that Taliban leaders residing outside Afghanistan pose a threat to the US-led Afghan peace process.
While talking to the media during an official visit to Kabul, senior official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the US State Department Alice Wells asserted that the US leadership wants decisive moves in the peace talks.
Wells remarks were embargoes for release on Sunday .
US State Department official is scheduled to reach Islamabad on Monday to meet Pakistani officials.
Wells remarked “Increasingly, I think it’s becoming unacceptable for the Taliban not to negotiate”.
The US State Department envoy asserted that the Taliban leaders residing outside Afghanistan were an obstacle in a negotiated political settlement.
Wells stressed that the support for a peace process not only came from the public but also from the foot soldiers.
Earlier on Saturday, President Ghani had ordered the government to resume normal operations after an announced extension of the Eid ceasefire. Ghani has repeatedly offered the Taliban for peace talks.
She added “It really takes away all the objections the Taliban have about why they are not prepared to engage with the Afghan government”, after the US’s offer to join in on the peace talks to discuss the future of international troops in Afghanistan.
However, the Taliban claim that the sitting government in Afghanistan is a puppet regime, hence they refuse to negotiate with the Afghan government.
Wells asserted that the neighboring countries played a vital role especially Pakistan, which has not been doing enough. She added “We have not yet seen that sustained and decisive action on part of Islamabad and that’s what we’re looking for”.
Earlier, Wells had announced that Pakistan was on notice again as the US expects from Islamabad to end the safe havens it provides to the Taliban on its territory. However, Pakistan has time and again denied any such claims.
Wells remarked “The dialogue that we have with Pakistan seeks to address those concerns while also encouraging additional concrete support for Afghan peace efforts”.
