WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is making a renewed push to jump start peace talks in Afghanistan and is considering restarting direct negotiations with the Taliban, a move that in the past has drawn protests from the Afghan government.
U.S. and Afghan officials described the possibility of talks between the United States and the Taliban as being in the early stages.
“There is renewed attention … but no clear negotiating strategy [and] no personnel to carry out real talks,” said a U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.
The renewed peace effort is being spurred by concerns that the current Afghanistan strategy, approved by President Donald Trump last summer, and the addition of several thousand U.S. troops have not been enough to break the stalemated conflict or reverse Taliban momentum.
Meanwhile, a peace effort led by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has been stymied by the Taliban’s refusal to negotiate with the Afghan government. U.S. and Afghan officials described the possibility of one-on-one talks with the Taliban as a way of breaking the initial logjam.
“I read this as a very positive development,” said Johnny Walsh, a senior expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace and former lead adviser at the State Department on the Afghan peace process. “I think the administration is trying to take away, one by one, the Taliban’s excuses for not talking.”
Some issues, such as the role of the Taliban in the Afghan political process, revisions to the Afghan constitution and protections for women, can only be decided Afghans, he said. But other issues, such as the level of U.S. troops and their mission, could be raised in direct American talks with the Taliban.
The news of the fledgling diplomatic initiative was first reported by the New York Times. A Taliban spokesman did not return phone calls for comment.
Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, warned in a statement that the “United States is not a substitute for the Afghan people or the Afghan government” in talks. Afghan officials struck a similar message.
“This remains an Afghan-led process,” said Haroon Chakansuri, Ghani’s chief spokesman. “The Taliban must engage with the sovereign government of Afghanistan.”
But a Ghani administration official privy to the efforts confirmed the new tack.
“The U.S. wants to find a way out. They cannot continue forever, and the U.S. and Afghanistan want to address all demands to somehow bring the Taliban to the table,” the official said. “Kabul is on board for sure, but whether they like it or not is a question.”
