Biden admin wants to take talks route for political solution to Afghan conflict

WASHINGTON: The Biden administration is having a hard look at the extent to which the Taliban are complying with the conditions of the peace agreement and supports the negotiations between the stakeholders to find a durable political settlement to the long-standing conflict in Afghanistan, a top US official has said.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday the Biden administration supports the previous Trump administration’s decision of setting up negotiations between the stakeholders in Afghanistan.

The Trump administration signed the peace deal with Taliban in February last year in Doha. The accord drew up plans for withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the insurgent group.

As part of the deal, the US committed to withdraw its 12,000 troops within 14 months. There are currently only 2,500 American troops left in the country.

The Taliban committed to prevent other groups, including al Qaeda, from using Afghan soil to recruit, train or fund raise toward activities that threaten the US or its allies.

“In that context, we will make decisions about our force posture and our diplomatic strategy going forward,” Sullivan said.

“What the previous administration did in terms of setting up and supporting negotiations between the stakeholders in Afghanistan toward a just, durable political settlement to that conflict, that basic frame is something that we very much support,” he said at an event organised by the US Institute of Peace, a Congress-funded think-tank.