Negotiations with the Taliban are proceeding well, says Trump

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that negotiations with the Taliban are proceeding well.

“Negotiating are proceeding well in Afghanistan after 18 years of fighting,” Trump said in a tweet.

“Fighting continues but the people of Afghanistan want peace in this never-ending war. We will soon see if talks will be successful?” Trump said.

Special US Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad recently held six days of intense negotiations with the Taliban representatives in Doha. After the talks, Khalilzad said that the US and the Taliban have drafted the framework of a deal which could pave the way for peace talks with Kabul.

On Tuesday CIA Director Gina Haspel told lawmakers sought a robust monitoring regime and retaining the capability to act in the national interest.

“It's very important that we maintain pressure on the terrorist groups that are there and so if there were an eventual peace agreement a very robust monitoring regime would be critical and we would still need to retain the capability to act in our national interests if we needed to,” Haspel said in testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence said that his assessment is that neither the Afghan government nor the Taliban will be able to gain a strategic advantage in the Afghan war in the coming year, even if coalitions support remains at current levels.

However, current efforts to achieve an agreement with the Taliban and decisions on a possible withdrawal of US troops could play a key role in shaping the direction of the country in the coming years,” he said.

“Militant groups supported by Pakistan will continue to take advantage of their safe haven in Pakistan to plan and conduct attacks in neighbouring countries and possibly beyond, and we remain concerned about Pakistan's continued development and control of nuclear weapons,” Coats said.

However, former US Ambassador to Afghanistan has said the US has delegitimized the Afghan government by negotiating with the Taliban without its involvement. He described as "surrender" the Trump administration's framework of a deal with the terror outfit.