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The US does not seek “a withdrawal agreement”, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on June 19 adding that Washington’s goal is a “comprehensive peace agreement”.
(1/3) As we prepare for the next round of talks with the Taliban, important to remember we seek a comprehensive peace agreement, NOT a withdrawal agreement.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) June 18, 2019
(3/3) As I've said on numerous occasions, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) June 18, 2019
Most likely, Khalilzad’s remarks were a response to a statement by the Taliban’s Qatar office spokesman Suhail Shaheen. The Taliban representative said on June 18 that the United States has “accepted” a full troops withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“The exact date will be announced today or tomorrow that when the seventh round [of talks] will start. It is clear that when the Americans announce their decision on the timeline of the withdrawal of their forces, it will open the way for intra-Afghan talks so that we can decide on the future government and intra-Afghan talks,” Shaheen said.
