Afghan Vice President Says Without Talks With Pakistan, Peace Talks With Taliban 'Useless'

Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Monday highlighted the need for talks with Pakistan for the intra-Afghan peace process, saying that without them talks with the Taliban are "useless."

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th March, 2021) Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Monday highlighted the need for talks with Pakistan for the intra-Afghan peace process, saying that without them talks with the Taliban are "useless."

Speaking at the seventh anniversary of the death of Marshall Mohammad Qasim Fahim, Saleh mentioned discussing "Pakistani factors in the peace process" with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad

"Khalilzad's other point was that the government of Pakistan, recognizing the two states in Afghanistan, the emirate [the Taliban] and the republic.

So, it can be said that without talks with Pakistan, peace talks with the Taliban are useless," the vice president said.

The peace negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban began in the Qatari capital of Doha back in September. In early December, Kabul and the Taliban announced that they had agreed on the framework of the talks, allowing for discussions to now be held on substantive issues. Little progress, however, has so far been made since then.