US Defence Secretary meets Afghan president in Kabul

United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during a visit to Kabul on Sunday, the presidential palace said in a statement.

They discussed the peace process and concerns over rising violence, according to the statement.

Also read: US keen to strengthen security ties with India, says Defence Secretary Austin

Austin made a previously unannounced visit to the Afghan capital following a trip to India this week.

The visit comes at a crucial time for the Afghan peace process as US President Joe Biden’s administration reviews its plan for Afghanistan ahead of a May troop withdrawal deadline agreed by the previous Trump administration with the Taliban.

On Friday, the Afghan government and the Taliban agreed to accelerate peace talks after Russia hosted an international conference aimed at reviving a stalled peace process, the RIA news agency reported, citing a senior Afghan official.

The move came after Russia, the United States, China and Pakistan called on Afghanistan’s warring sides to reach an immediate ceasefire.

Also read: 'Afghan government, Taliban agree to accelerate peace talks'

On Thursday, Head of the Afghan peace council Dr Abdullah Abdullah said that the Afghan government is ready to discuss "any topics" with the Taliban in order to bring peace and prosperity to the country.

In his speech during Moscow Conference on Peaceful Settlement in Afghanistan, organised by troika member states and hosted by Russia, Abdullah said that the Afghan government reiterated its commitment for the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Afghanistan during the conference.

"We called for an end to violence and the acceleration of the peace talks. We asked the regional countries and beyond to help Afghanistan in its derive to achieve a just and lasting peace," he wrote on his official Twitter handle soon after attending the conference.

He said that the negotiation team of Afghanistan is ready to discuss any topic with the Taliban. "We called for an end to targeted killings, and a comprehensive ceasefire to begin the next rounds of the talks in a peaceful environment."

Dr Abdullah also thanked the regional countries for their support for peace but added that it is not only beneficial for the people of Afghanistan, but also for the entire region and beyond. "Peace and security in Afghanistan will facilitate the realisation of connectivity and major projects."

He also stated that Afghanistan considered the Moscow conference not to only boost the Doha talks, but also to support the upcoming Turkey conference on Afghanistan.