US wants to leave a positive legacy in Afghanistan: Khalilzad

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT Monitoring Desk

KABUL: In the wake of talks over US troop withdrawal from
Afghanistan, the US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad said that America wants
to leave a positive legacy and is not 'cutting and running' from its longest
war and that women will continue to have seats in peace talks to end nearly 18
years of fighting.

Khalilzad addressed an audience in Washington on a video
link from Qatar where the two-day intra-Afghan conference concluded on July 8
with a resolution that offered a roadmap for the country's future.

The Washington event was heavily focused on raising the
voices of women who fear any peace accord with the Taliban will rollback gains
they have made and return them to the days of repressive Taliban rule, the AP
reported.

'We would like to leave a very positive legacy here,'
Khalilzad said. 'We are not cutting and running. We're not looking for a
withdrawal agreement. We're looking for a peace agreement. And we're looking
for a long-term relationship and partnership with Afghanistan.'

The Taliban refuses to meet with the Afghan government, but
there are ongoing discussions about peace.

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