Statement of the United States Embassy in Kabul on the Visit of Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad – January 15, 2019
Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Kabul today for meetings with President Ghani, CEO Abdullah, and political leaders to discuss the next steps in U.S. efforts to support and facilitate an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in Afghanistan, empowering the Afghan people to chart a shared course for their nation’s future. His arrival in Kabul follows stops in India, the United Arab Emirates, and China.
Special Representative Khalilzad continues to coordinate with the National Unity Government and other Afghan stakeholders to ensure an intra-Afghan peace process. The U.S. goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict, and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement in which every Afghan citizen enjoys equal rights and responsibilities under the rule of law. During his last trip in December, Special Representative Khalilzad reiterated that the only solution to the conflict is for all parties to sit together and reach an agreement on the political future of Afghanistan with mutual respect and acceptance.
