Afghanistan, Taliban to hold peace talks next month
-
Afghan delegates attend a meeting to discuss a roadmap for ending the war with the Taliban at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Feb. 23, 2016. (AP photo)
The first round of direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban militant group are expected to take place in neighboring Pakistan by March.
According to Press TV, the so-called Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), made up of delegates from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the US, set the date after meeting for a fourth round of talks.
According to a joint statement by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group, Pakistan has agreed to host the talks in Islamabad in the first week of March.
The group also "expressed strong support for the upcoming direct talks between the Government of Afghanistan and authorized representatives of the Taliban and other groups."
Tuesday's four-way talks in Kabul came against a backdrop of continuing violence and increasing military pressure from the Taliban militant group.
Meanwhile, Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani called for a detailed draft of direct talks between the Kabul government and the Taliban before the end of February.
Pakistan hosted a first round of peace talks between Taliban and Afghan leaders in July 2015. The talks were halted after the militants belatedly announced the death of their longtime leader Mullah Omar.
ME
