Pompeo Says News From Afghanistan Peace Talks Is `Encouraging'

(Bloomberg) -- News from Afghanistan peace talks, as relayed by the U.S. special representative for Afghan reconciliation after meetings with the Taliban, has been “encouraging,” U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on Saturday.

“The U.S. is serious about pursuing peace, preventing Afghanistan from continuing to be a space for international terrorism, & bringing forces home,” Pompeo added on Twitter.

Earlier, Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative, said in a series of tweets that the parties “made significant progress on vital issues” after six days of talks in Doha.

• Khalilzad said he was next heading to Afghanistan for consultations
• Talks are to resume shortly, with a number of issues left to work out, but the latest meetings were more productive than past efforts
• “Nothing is agreed on until everything is agreed, and ’everything’ must include an intra-Afghan dialogue and comprehensive cease-fire,” Khalilzad
• Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed confirmed the outcome of the talks, saying that progress on other issues is “impossible” until the foreign troops withdraw from Afghanistan
• The group rejected reports of an agreement on a ceasefire and direct peace talks with President Ashraf Ghani’s administration

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