Afghanistan
Talks (Bilateral/Multilateral):2020

Chairman of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security Saimumin Yatimov during his meeting with Afghan counterpart Zia Saraj referred to the danger of destabilization for the region due to the presence of subversive forces, reports bhaktarnews.com. "The sides have expressed their concern regarding the fact that Afghanistan has turned into a battlefield due to the interference of certain international subversive forces. This factor creates risks for neighboring states," the message informs. "In light of the current situation, they have highlighted the direct threat of international terrorist groups, namely Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, the Islamic Renaissance Party, the Ansorulloh, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, the Turkistan Islamic Movement and others." Read less...

On January 31, the United States (US) Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad "to discuss efforts for peace in Afghanistan," reports Tolo News. Khalilzad also met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Read less...

The Office of the President of Afghanistan, on April 2, announced that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani spoke with General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan, reports The Khaama Press. According to a statement released by ARG Palace, Bajwa congratulated Ghani for his re-election as the President of Afghanistan. The statement further added that Bajwa also congratulated Ghani for the election of an inclusive peace negotiator, expressing hopes that delegation would take forward the peace negotiations with Taliban. Read less...

National Security Advisor (NSA) Dr. Hamdullah Mohib in a meeting with the Iranian Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Ibrahim Tahereyan, on April 19, discussed peace process and mutual cooperation, reports BhaktarNews. Read less...

India on May 7, conveyed its strong concerns about a spike in terrorist violence in Afghanistan to US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, and called for rooting out terror sanctuaries in Pakistan to ensure peace in the war-torn country, people familiar with developments said, reports Hindustan Times.The concerns were conveyed to the US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation during his meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. “India is deeply concerned at the upsurge in violence and supports call for immediate ceasefire and [the] need to assist the people of Afghanistan in dealing with [the] coronavirus pandemic,” Jaishankar said in a statement on Khalilzad’s meetings.The Indian side, “emphasised that putting an end to terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries is necessary for enduring and sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan”. Both Jaishankar and Doval, the statement said, “reiterated India’s continued support for strengthening peace, security, unity, democratic and inclusive polity and protection of rights of all sections of the Afghan society, including Afghan Hindus and Sikhs”. Read less...

The Pakistan military released the details of the meeting between Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of the Staff of the Army Staff (COAS) and Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special envoy for Afghan peace, reports The Khaama Press on May 9. “Mr Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), today,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military said in a statement. The statement further added “During the meeting, issues of mutual interest and overall regional security situation including Afghan reconciliation process were discussed.” Read less...

The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah after meeting the deputy political chief of Taliban in Qatar, reports The Khaama Press on May 21. Zalmay Khalilzad said in a Twitter post, “We discussed next steps required to implement the agreement between the 2 leaders. On peace, we agreed that violence is much too high and there is a need to move urgently to reduce it by all sides.” “We also agreed on the importance of delivering (and soon) on other commitments made in the US-Taliban agreement and US-Afghanistan joint declaration including release of prisoners by both sides and the start of intra-Afghan negotiations,” he said. Read less...

Senior officials from Afghanistan, the United States (US) and Uzbekistan on May 27, held a virtual meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, and the three pledged to work together and address mutual issues of concern including political ties, security and economic and human development matters, reports Tolo News. The meeting was co-chaired by American Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale, Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar, and Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov. Later on, the three countries issued a joint statement in which the three nations pledged to further expand their cooperation. The first part of the joint statement reads that the three countries are “committed to greater cooperation among themselves" and call on countries of the region and the broader international community "to promote the Afghanistan peace process and to support the goal of a durable political settlement preserving the gains of the past 18 years to end the war in that country.”The joint statement also welcomed the political agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and his election rival Abdullah Abdullah. On the ceasefire, the statement said: “Welcomed the historic Eid ceasefire and the decision by Afghan leadership this week to expedite the release of Taliban prisoners, including the more than 900 prisoners released since that decision was taken, and urged the continued release of prisoners by both the Afghan Government and the Taliban consistent with the US -Taliban agreement of February 29." The joint statement also “took note of the US-Afghanistan Joint Declaration and the US-Taliban agreement of February 29 and affirmed Taliban and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan commitments to prevent any international terrorist groups or individuals, including al-Qaeda and (Daesh), from using Afghan soil; to this end, the sacrifices of the Afghan National Security Forces and its international partners are greatly appreciated.” Through the trilateral format, the participants intend to deepen cooperation through the following priority areas: "Developing security cooperation and intensifying joint efforts to combat cross-border threats along the frontier between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, and to address issues such as terrorism, drug and precursor trafficking, smuggling, illegal migration, human trafficking, and wildlife trafficking throughout the region." Read less...

President Ashraf Ghani and the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed an array of issues pertaining to the Afghan peace process via videoconference, bakhtarnews.com reports on June 3. The videoconference was joined by Afghan and American senior officials; First Vice President Amruallah Saleh, Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation; Yosuf Ghazanfar, the President’s Special Representative on Economic Development; Dr. Fazel Fazly, Director General of Administrative Office of the President, Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation; General Scott Miller, the Commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission; and Ross Wilson, Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul. Both sides exchanged views over joint efforts to maintain the momentum to advance the agenda of peace and stability in Afghanistan.The US Secretary of State said that the main goal of the United States is a united, independent, democratic and stable Afghanistan within the framework of the continued long-term and strategic relations between the two countries, and we will work with the Afghan government to achieve that. Also, President Ashraf Ghani articulated the Afghan government’s roadmap for a sustainable peace and stability in the country at the video conference and reiterated that the Afghan Government stressing on needs to multiply our efforts for a stable, united and free Afghanistan. The two sides also discussed the future steps in the Afghan peace process, in particular the release of Taliban prisoners, venue for the intra-Afghan negotiations, underscoring the need to keep the people informed of the developments before and during the negotiations as they unfold. Read less...

On June 7, United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, reports Ariana News.The two sides spoke on matters of mutual interest such as regional security and the Afghan reconciliation process.They discussed the issue of Afghan refugees and Pak-Afghan border management as well. Read less...

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on June 9 held talks with President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and discussed peace efforts and Pakistan’s role, reports Tolo News. A statement by the Presidential Palace said that President Ghani and Gen. Bajwa discussed Pakistan’s support for the peace process, and also discussed how "the soil of either country should not be used against the other." “Gen. Bajwa expressed Pakistan's support for our efforts and for the earliest possible start of intra-Afghan talks,” Abdullah said. “I told him that we are ready to engage with the Taliban on our common issues and to end the conflict and live together in peace. I reiterated Pakistan’s constructive role in this regard.” Read less...

The United States (US) Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on June 10 where met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and exchanged views on the Afghan peace process, reports Tolo News. “In this meeting, discussions were held on the peace process, practical steps before the start of the direct talks, the terms for the extension of a reduction in violence and the unofficial ceasefire,” tweeted Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani. Read less...

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), in a statement issued after a Afghanistan, Russia and the United States of America (USA) in a trilateral meeting, stated “expect that an initial meeting between the negotiating teams must be held immediately to agree on agenda and next steps,” reports Tolo News on June 16. The trilateral meeting of Afghanistan, Russia and the USA was held via video tele-conference on June 15, with the participation of the Special Presidential Envoy of the Russian Federation for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, the US Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister, Hanif Atmar. The three countries during the meeting reiterated their strong commitment to an Afghan-owned peace process and support for safeguarding Afghanistan’s achievements over the past 19 years. Read less...

US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on September 15, shared details of the Afghan peace process with India and urged Delhi to continue with its constructive role in Afghanistan, reports Economic Times. Khalilzad met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and briefed him on the Afghan peace process including peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban at Qatar (Doha). India on its part referred to safeguarding Indian interests in Afghanistan from cross-border terror attacks and the necessity to clamp down against terror sanctuaries. India reiterated that any peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. India’s traditional position is that the process has to respect the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and preserve the progress made in the establishment of a democratic Islamic Republic in Afghanistan. Read less...

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on September 28, said that there is no military solution to Afghan Conflict, reports Tolo News. Qureshi held a meeting with Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and both discussed the Afghan peace process and bilateral relations. Read less...

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s special envoy for Pakistan, Mohammad Umer Daudzai said that Pakistani leaders agreed to not repeat the nation's past policies toward Afghanistan, reports Tolo News. On September 30, Afghan delegation led by Abdullah Abdullah met Pakistani President Arif Alvi in which they discussed the Afghan peace process and the relations between the two neighboring countries, as well as other current topics. Read less...

On October 5 the President Ashraf Ghani visited Kuwait and Qatar and met with leaders from both countries, discussing bilateral ties as well as seeking support for the Afghan peace process, reports Tolo News. President Ghani also met with peace negotiators of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Doha. The negotiators said the President’s trip is not directly related to the peace negotiations but will boost international support for peace. Read less...

United States (US) Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, commander of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces in Afghanistan General Scott Miller, and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa affirmed the need for a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan, reports Tolo News on October 9. Khalilzad and Scott Miller met with COAS Bajwa in Islamabad. In this meeting, Zalmay Khalilzad and Javed Bajwa agreed that intra-Afghan direct negotiations are an historic opportunity for achieving peace in Afghanistan and for the region, the statement said, adding that “they also agreed the opportunity must not be lost and past mistakes should not be repeated.” Read less...

On December 2, President Ashraf Ghani met with Stefano Pontecorvo, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan at the Presidential Palace, reports Bakhtar News. According to BNA report, both sides discussed NATO’s enduring support for Afghanistan Defense and Security forces and successful holding of the Afghanistan Conference 2020. Read less...