US Special Rep Zalmay Khalilzad pegs future policy decisions on Afghan peace talks outcome

US Department of State Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in a press briefing on Friday, September 11 said that moving forward, US policies and dealings with Afghanistan will be based on the direction on the peace negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban.

After months of anticipation, the Taliban on Thursday announced that they were willing to begin peace talks with the Afghanistan government. The Afghan peace talks are due to take place on September 12 in Doha, Qatar.

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Intra-Afghanistan talks to determine Future of US-Afghan relations

Khalilzad said, "The future of Afghanistan is obviously after the Afghans to decide, but we would like to see Afghanistan that is sovereign and that is unified and democratic, and the United States will decide its policies or its relations with Afghanistan, based on the decision and agreement that Afghanistan makes, and the implementation of those agreements."

The peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government is expected to pave the way for future peace and end the bitter four-decade-long conflict. The prisoner exchanges that were agreed upon by Washington and the Taliban during the start of the year have allowed the peace talks to move to the next phase. The Afghan peace talks will take place in Qatar since the Taliban has a political office and will be attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Read: Pompeo On 'contentious' Upcoming Afghanistan Talks

Despite negotiations being back on track, peace in Afghanistan is going to be a long-drawn process as the two sides discuss the right of women and minorities. As per reports, the Taliban has stated that it will allow women to go to school, work and even participate in politics but they would not accept a female president or a female chief justice even though they are willing to allow female judges.

Afghan government's negotiating team will contain several female officials who will have to find a way to uphold the right and freedoms of women. There are no women on the Taliban negotiation team.

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Read: US Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo To Attend Intra-Afghan Peace Talks In Qatar