KABUL: US Secretary of State John Kerry called on the Taliban to re-enter peace talks with the Afghan government during an unannounced visit on Saturday during which he showed his support for Afghanistan’s unity government that he had helped create 18 months ago.
“We discussed our shared goal of launching peace talks with the Taliban,” he told reporters at a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
“We call on the Taliban to enter into a peace process, a legitimate process that brings an end to violence,” he said. “Of course there is hope for peace.”
President Ghani backed Mr Kerry’s call, adding: “Peace is the vital need for the nation and the government of Afghanistan and the United States of America — especially you — have always been our partner in creating a peaceful atmosphere and regional stability. I would like to thank you for the consistent sacrifices and the support of the US. Thousands of your countrymen, your sons and young Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan.”
Mr Kerry’s first port of call was the Nato headquarters in the country, where he met Gen John Nicholson, the newly appointed head of the alliance’s Resolute Support mission, and US troops.
Mr Kerry also said that the political deal that had led to the formation of Afghanistan’s national unity government in 2014 had no set expiry date. Under the terms of the September 2014 agreement, a loya jirga, or special assembly, was expected to be held within two years to amend the constitution.
However, Mr Kerry, who oversaw the deal that created the government now led by former rivals President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, said there was no fixed deadline.
Several ministers have resigned in recent months because of the tensions between the two camps.
Referring to discussion about a possible change to plans to cut the number of US troops in Afghanistan to 5,500 by the end of the year, Mr Kerry said President Barack Obama would be guided by the views of US commanders on the ground.
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2016
