Ghani refuses meeting with Khalilzad: Source

KABUL (Pajhwok): US special representative for Afghanistan peace Zalmay Khalilzad traveled back to Doha from Kabul without meeting President Ashraf Ghani, sources said Wednesday.

Two days back, Khalilzad arrived in Kabul and met with some political leaders during his 24 hours stay.

Khalilzad first met with veteran former jihadi leader Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, then High Council for National Reconciliation chairman Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and then former President Hamid Karzai.

He also held talks with Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib and President’s Chief of Staff Dr. FazalFazli, but did not meet President AshrafGhani and left Kabul for Doha on Tuesday night.

A Kabul-based foreign source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Khalilzad left Kabul without meeting President Ghani.

A government source also told Pajhwok: “He (Khalilzad) met with NSA HamdullahMohib and FM HanifAtmar.”

Another government source said FM HanifAtmar and USambassador Rose Wilson tried to hold a meeting between Ghani and Khalilzad but the president refused to meet him.

According to sources, the president refused the meeting citing Khalilzad’s one-sided judgments in the peace process.

The US Embassy in Kabul said nothing in this regard.

During the visit, a statement from the US Embassy said Khalilzad would meet Afghan leaders and voice support for Afghans and security forces.

But the statement did not say if Khalilzad would be meeting Ghani.

sa/ma