The Taliban in Afghanistan does not seem to be ready for peace talks, the Trump administration said today, asserting that any such talks have to be “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned”. In a way, the Trump administration, ruled out direct talks with the Taliban, which was being sought by the terrorist outfit in a letter to the US.
“We certainly saw this letter and are aware of this letter. Any peace talks with Afghanistan have to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. That has long been our policy,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters. She said the Taliban, “unfortunately”, does not seem ready at this point to sit down and have conversations about peace talks. “We hope eventually they will, because that is the best way to be able to have peace in Afghanistan,” Nauert said responding to a question on the letter released by the Taliban. “Ultimately, we don’t see there being a military solution to the situation in Afghanistan.
Ultimately, it has to be a political situation,” she said. “That can best be done,” she said if the Taliban was willing to sit down and have talks. “Certainly the United States could have a role in that. But that’s really up to Afghanistan, but it has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,” Nauert asserted.