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US, Taliban Peace Negotiators Arrive in Pakistan

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay
   Khalilzad and Taliban political negotiators have arrived in neighboring
   Pakistan amid a renewed diplomatic push to resurrect peace talks
   between Washington and the insurgent group.

   The Taliban delegation arrived in Islamabad early Wednesday hours after
   the Khalilzad-led team landed in the Pakistani capital. Both the teams
   will stay in the country for several days.

   While both sides insisted they are visiting Pakistan for official
   meetings with representatives of the host government, Taliban spokesman
   Suhail Shaheen told VOA "I don't rule out" direct talks between the
   11-member insurgent team and the U.S. delegation. He said the Taliban
   delegation will stay in Islamabad until October 6.

   The widely unexpected visits come several weeks after President Donald
   Trump abruptly called off the yearlong U.S.-Taliban talks just when the
   two adversaries had come close to signing a peace agreement that could
   have ended the 18-year-old Afghan war, America's longest overseas
   military intervention.

   A U.S. embassy spokesperson told VOA Khalilzad, who led the U.S. team
   in the peace talks with the Taliban, is in Islamabad "this week
   participating in consultations" with Pakistani counterparts.

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