Afghan chief executive supports Kabul delegation for Taliban talks

Afghanistan’s chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, has welcomed Kabul’s decision to send a delegation to meet with the Taliban, saying they could present a “unified position” for the Afghan people. Kabul had earlier announced it would send representatives to “exchange views” with Taliban officials at fresh talks, due to take place in Doha, Qatar later this month. “We need to… talk future peace and reconciliation,” Abdullah told AFP on Sunday. Mohammed Omar Daudzai, President Ashraf Ghani’s envoy for peace, said the delegation would serve only to swap views with the Taliban. Officials will meet Wednesday in Kabul to decide who might comprise an official negotiating team. The Taliban and Afghan opposition groups held a similar meeting in Moscow in February. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent last week in Afghanistan as part of an ongoing push for a peace deal.