No major policy shift under Biden, Pompeo says in Doha

KABUL (Pajhwok): US Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo has told the Afghan government negotiating team in Doha that the American assistance with Afghanistan will continue and there would be no major policy change under president-elect Joe Biden.

Secretary Pompeo during his recent visit to Qatar held separate meetings with Afghan government and Taliban negotiating team members.

An Afghan negotiating team member on the condition of anonymity told Pajhwok Afghan News that their team briefed Mike Pompeo on recent incidents of violence in Afghanistan.

The Afghan negotiating team told Pompeo that the prime demand of the people of Afghanistan was an immediate ceasefire.

The source said the US foreign secretary renewed Washington’s commitment to continuing support to Afghanistan and Afghan security forces.

“We want reduction in violence and an immediate ceasefire,” said Mike Pompeo during the meeting.

“There is no doubt that the government in the US will change and the number of our troops will reduce to 2,500 from 4,500, but still the US will continue its support with Afghan security forces,” he said.

According to another source, Pompeo told the Afghan delegation that the new US administration would not consider drastic changes to its policy towards Afghanistan.

The above sources rejected the removal of Masoum Stanikzai as head of the Afghan delegation and said that the Afghan chief negotiator might return to Qatar on Tuesday.

Stanikzai arrived in Kabul for consultation with President Ghani after the code of conduct for talks was finalized between the Taliban and the Afghan government negotiating teams.

Nh/ma