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A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 15 February 2020
U.S. and Taliban agree to truce, way forward in Afghanistan

By MATTHEW LEE and KATHY critical of the way U.S. en-
GANNON voy Zalmay Khalilzad has
Associated Press conducted the talks with
MUNICH (AP) — The Unit- the Taliban, complaining
ed States and the Taliban about being kept in the
have agreed to a tempo- dark.
rary truce that, if success- Ghani has also bickered
ful, would open the way with his partner in the cur-
for a deal that would bring rent Unity Government,
American troops home Abdullah Abdullah, over
from Afghanistan and end who will represent Kabul
18 years of war. at the negotiating table.
The peace deal would call Ghani has insisted he lead
for negotiations between the talks, while his politi-
Afghans on both sides of cal opponents and other
the conflict to start next prominent Afghans have
month, an eventual coun- called for more inclusive
trywide cease-fire and a representation at the ne-
commitment from the Tal- gotiating table.
iban not to harbor terrorist The Taliban and those fa-
groups like al Qaida, while miliar with the details of the
setting a timetable for the Afghan negotiations say
withdrawal of U.S. troops. the representatives from
The truce marks a milestone Kabul will include govern-
in efforts to end America's U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, shakes hands with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani,during ment officials but they will
longest-running conflict the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany, on Friday, Feb. 14, sit across from the Taliban
and fulfill President Donald 2020. as ordinary Afghans and
Trump's campaign pledge Associated Press not as government repre-
to bring U.S. troops home agreement for a seven- hold their commitments, a That Taliban official said sentatives.
from foreign conflicts. But day "reduction in violence" U.S.-Taliban peace agree- the agreement would pro- U.S. officials have not pub-
prospects for a real and is "very specific" and covers ment would be signed vide for the release of 5,000 licly spelled out their time-
lasting peace remain un- the entire country, includ- within 10 days. Taliban prisoners before the table for an initial draw-
clear. ing Afghan government The Taliban official said the start of the negotiations. down of U.S. troops in Af-
Details were provided sep- forces. There were indica- signing had been tenta- Much will depend on the ghanistan, but the expec-
arately Friday by a senior tions a formal announce- tively set for Feb. 29, with results of the all-Afghan tation is that a reduction
U.S. official and a Taliban ment could come as early the start of the Afghan talks negotiations, if and when from the current total of
official, who were not au- as the weekend. planned for March 10. The they get off the ground. about 12,000 to approxi-
thorized to publicly discuss The official said the Taliban official said Germany and The presence of "spoilers" mately 8,600 will begin af-
the matter and spoke on had committed to a halt Norway have offered to — those happy with the ter the signing of a U.S.-Tal-
the condition of anonym- in roadside and suicide host the talks but there has status quo — will remain iban deal.
ity. bombings as well as rocket been no decision on the a threat to peace efforts That initial reduction is likely
The U.S. official said the attacks. If the Taliban up- venue. throughout the process, to stretch out over a period
the U.S. senior official ac- of weeks or months.
Saudi foreign minister: No meeting knowledged. The Taliban official said
Also uncertain are the gains the withdrawal of foreign
planned with Netanyahu made for Afghan women troops would start gradual-
and girls since the fall of ly and be carried out over
the Taliban months after 18 months.
By AYA BATRAWY Israel and the kingdom the U.S. military response to A senior U.S. military officer
Associated Press stands firmly behind Pales- the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist told a small group of report-
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- tine," the minister said, add- attacks ordered by Osama ers that U.S. counterterror-
ates (AP) — Saudi Arabia's ing that it's not unique to bin Laden from Afghan soil. ism operations in Afghani-
foreign minister said no have shared interests with But, for the Taliban, the pro- stan against the Islamic
meeting is planned be- Israel in countering Iran posal represents a way to State group and al-Qaida
tween the kingdom's crown since there are many other gain the political legitima- will continue, separate
prince and Israel's prime countries with a similar pol- cy they never had in the from the truce agreement.
minister, a statement ap- icy. late 1990s when they first The official spoke on condi-
parently meant to quash Still, the statement was an came to power. tion of anonymity to discuss
reports circulating in Israeli unusual rebuttal by the The new developments sensitive aspects of military
media this week of an al- kingdom's most senior dip- came as U.S. Secretary of operations ahead of an ex-
leged summit between the lomat to reports circulating State Mike Pompeo and pected announcement of
two. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin in Israeli media, which had Defense Secretary Mark Es- the U.S.-Taliban deal.
"There is no meeting Netanyahu speaks to his reported that a meeting per met Friday with Afghan He also said the United
planned between Saudi supporters during his election was being planned be- President Ashraf Ghani on States has sufficient intel-
Arabia and Israel. Saudi campaign speech in Rosh tween Saudi Crown Prince the sidelines of an interna- ligence-gathering assets
Haain, Israel, Thursday, Feb.
Arabia's policy has been 13, 2020. Hebrew on board Mohammed bin Salman tional security forum in Mu- to be able to determine
very clear since the begin- reads "Gantz". and Israeli Prime Minister nich. within the seven-day pe-
ning of this conflict," For- Associated Press Benjamin Netanyahu. The To make good on its prom- riod whether the Taliban is
eign Minister Prince Faisal two countries do not have ise to release Taliban pris- making a good-faith effort
bin Farhan Al Saud told the report on Thursday. formal diplomatic relations, oners, Washington is going to reduce violence, even if
Saudi-owned Al Arabiya "There are no relations be- despite quietly strengthen- to need the cooperation some limited violence per-
English news website in a tween Saudi Arabia and ing ties in past years. q of Ghani, who has been sists. q