Afghan govt. voices serious doubts about US-Taliban deal, seeks clarification

The Afghan government says it has serious doubts about a draft peace agreement recently reached between United States and Taliban negotiators and wants further clarification.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s main spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter Wednesday that while the Kabul administration supports any progress in an eventual peace process, it wants to prevent any negative consequences. 

“The Afghan government is also concerned and we, therefore, would like further clarity on this document to completely analyze its dangers and negative consequences and avoid the dangers,” the spokesman noted.

The statement is Kabul's first such reaction to the prospective deal that Washington forged with the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha on Monday. 

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born US diplomat, is expected to hold a series of meetings with Afghan and NATO officials to explain the draft agreement, which must still be approved by US President Donald Trump before it can be signed. 

SS