The letter, sent by the US Special Representative for the Reconciliation of Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, offers the first true look at the Biden government’s thinking about Afghanistan, and it seems to reflect frustration as Blinken writes that he wants Ghani ‘should the understand urgency of my tone ‘.
Despite ongoing talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban following a 2020 agreement between the US and the militant group, violence in the country has gradually increased.
State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to comment on the truth of the proposal or the letter, which was first published by Afghan news agency Tolo News on Sunday. A US official and another diplomatic source familiar with the letter said it was genuine.
The situation in Afghanistan is a thorny situation for Biden, who opposed the increase in US presence there during the Obama administration and said he wanted to end US involvement in the nearly 20-year-long conflict. Biden may face domestic criticism if he does not follow the withdrawal, but at the same time the country remains unstable, the Taliban have increased their control over the wider parts of the country and the profits made by women and girls are in jeopardy.
Price told reporters that Khalilzad was in Pakistan on Monday. He did not want to give an idea of how the meetings in the region went, nor did he say how Khalilzad’s encounter with the Taliban went, saying he did not want to ‘prejudice’ on how the situation would unfold.
Asked if he believes the Afghan government is constructively involved in the dialogue on the peace process, Price said they were a ‘close and indispensable partner’, but also said: ‘It is also important that we has a uniform approach to the Afghan government’s talks. ‘
“We support and encourage all parties to seize this moment. This includes the Taliban negotiators, and also the Islamic Republic negotiators,” he said.
“Our interest in this has always been our interest and it was not, it was not just this administration, not just the last government, it was in fact two administrations before it, to find a way to suppress the violence, and “To find a political settlement, to reach a political settlement that is not fleeting, but is in fact durable and just as durable,” he said at a news conference on Monday.
Khalilizad was put in place as the main US negotiator with the Taliban during the Trump administration, and Blinken’s letter made it clear that the Biden team had entrusted Khalilzad to continue to play a leading role in the talks.
“I have asked Ambassador Khalilzad, whose important job President Biden and I have requested, that he continue to prepare and share with you, as well as with the Taliban leaders written proposals aimed at discussing a negotiated expedite settlement and ceasefire, “Blinken wrote.
Price also said on Monday that “it is absolutely true that the United States has sought ideas to advance the prospects for peace, the prospects for galvanizing a lasting peace, and once again a lasting peace through Afghan leadership and Afghan ownership. must be.”
“So it’s definitely not that we’re trying to be prescriptive. We’re trying to support and do everything to support the parties, to do everything in our power to bring our international allies, to bring our international partners, to others in the region, together to make clear that we all have a share in the future security of Afghanistan, the stability, which ensures the sustainability of the gains, including the important gains for women and girls achieved in recent years “But ultimately it’s an Afghan process, which is owned by Afghans, and we are there to support it,” he said.