A shepherd leads his herd of sheep and goats on a hilltop during sunset on the outskirts of Jalalabad on December 2, 2020. / AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA
Washington: The United States welcomed the agreement announced by the Afghan negotiators in Doha, expressing gratitude to the State of Qatar for its role as a host and facilitator of the Afghan peace talks.
Rapid progress on a political roadmap and a ceasefire is what the people of Afghanistan want more than anything else, the US Department of State said.
This Agreement is a major milestone in the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations that have been underway since Sep. 12, 2020, the State Department added.
It also said that the Agreement codifies the rules and procedures the two sides have been negotiating since the start of talks, adding that the teams made a number of important decisions that will guide their negotiations on a political roadmap and a comprehensive ceasefire.
The US Department of State congratulated both sides on their perseverance and willingness to find common ground, noting that this achievement demonstrates that the Afghan Islamic Republic and Taliban are serious, able to overcome differences, and ready to deal with difficult issues.
What has been achieved provides hope the two sides will succeed in reaching a political settlement to this more than forty-year-old conflict, the US State Department said, adding that the United States will continue to support the peace process and work with all sides in pursuit of a serious reduction of violence and ceasefire.
