US envoy stresses on need for 'negotiated settlement' between govt and Taliban in Afghanistan

While noting that the United States never sought to target the Taliban "just as Taliban," a U.S. special envoy has emphasised the need for a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan.

Addressing the media over Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's recent visit to Washington, Dan Feldman, who is special U.S. envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said that he thought there was a sincere effort and a recognition in Pakistan that long-term stability on their border would be in their interest and that they would have a role to play in ensuring a peaceful resolution to the peace process, the Dawn reported.

The senior official explained that they never sought to target Taliban "just as Taliban" since it was them who had continued to protect Osama Bin Laden after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Feldman remarked that Ghani had changed the dynamics of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations in a period of 6-7 months with a "very pragmatic and strategic approach," one that wasn't possible before.