Proposing a shakeup to the stalled peace process in Afghanistan, the US special envoy to Afghanistan has suggested a conference with important players and an interim government in the conflict-stricken country. 

According to Reuters, the idea has faced immediate objection. US troops will be withdrawing from Afghanistan on May 1 in accordance with the February 2020 deal struck by the Trump administration.

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The agreement included a peace agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government with foreign forces withdrawing by May 1. 

US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad is currently on a trip to visit Doha, Kabul and other regional capitals. This marks the first trip since President Biden assumed office and started to review the peace process, reported Reuters. 

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According to sources, the peace negotiations in Qatar are making little headway, while violence in Afghanistan is on a rise. The Afghan-born US diplomat is trying to find and build consensus on alternatives to build peace among all key players. 

A diplomatic source following the peace process closely said, “(The United States) thinks Doha isn’t working and needs impetus and an alternate approach,” Reuters reported. 

Zalmay Khalilzad met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, peace envoy chief Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai and leaders from the civil society. 

As per a former Afghan government official, Khalilzad shared a comprehensive document with details on a proposal on power-sharing. He also proposed a conference with representatives from a range of Afghan parties and diplomats along with international agencies pushing them towards a solution. 

The format of the meeting is proposed to be similar to the 2001 Bonn conference where anti-Taliban leaders had met in Germany post the 2001 US invasion in Afghanistan. The had resulted in ousting of the insurgents from power, a roadmap for making a permanent government and drafting a new constitution. 

Ned Price, State Department spokesman said, “We’re considering a number of different ideas that might accelerate the process.” 

Khalilzad is also urging the United Nations to take a lead and call the conference. 

Afghan President Ghani has opposed the idea of the conference and said in Parliament, “Any institution can write a fantasy on a piece of paper and suggest a solution for Afghanistan.” 

He says any transfer of power would take place through elections. 

According to a Taliban leader, Khalilzad may increase the possibility of reducing violence. 

He said, “We would recommend people with a good reputation for the interim government and this set up would need to work for at least two years to depoliticise all the government departments, including the security establishment.”

Adding further, “We don’t believe any other conference in any country would help resolve the Afghan conflict,” he said. 

Another Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said, any alternative talks to Qatar “is doomed to failure.”