Ahead of Istanbul Summit, Khalilzad in Kabul for talks

KABUL (Pajhwok): US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has arrived in Kabul for consultations with government leaders on the upcoming Istanbul Summit.

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Pajhwok that Ambassador Khalilzad landed in Kabul on Friday night.

He said President Joe Biden’s point man would discuss latest developments in the Afghan peace process and the Turkey conference with President Ashraf Ghani and High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Dr. Abdullah.

According the source, Khalilzad will hold meetings with a number of other politicians on the conference and consensus on the peace push.

The UN-led conference featuring Afghan government leaders, politicians and Taliban representatives, is scheduled to take place in Istanbul this month.

Some sources say the meeting will take place on April 16, while others say it may take place on April 25, but no exact date has been set yet.

President Ghani, Dr. Abdullah and a number of politicians have hammered out peace plans to be presented at the summit, The High Peace Council has been working on unifying the proposals over the past few days. The process ended on Thursday.

sa/mud

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