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Zalmay Khalilzad steps down as US envoy to Afghanistan

Zalmay Khalilzad is stepping down as US envoy to Afghanistan after taking part in a central function in America’s chaotic army withdrawal from the nation and main Washington’s talks with the Taliban as they regained energy and affect.

His departure follows a multi-decade profession in prime diplomatic roles, together with US ambassador to the UN, Iraq and Afghanistan underneath former president George W Bush.

Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, was chief negotiator for the US when former president Donald Trump struck a deal with the Taliban to pave the way in which for America’s pullout from the nation — and stayed on afterwards to assist president Joe Biden handle the withdrawal.

Because the forces of the Afghan authorities quickly collapsed within the weeks previous to the exit, catching many US officers abruptly, Khalilzad additionally held talks with the Taliban over safety preparations in Kabul.

In an interview with the Monetary Instances, Khalilzad mentioned the US had a deal for the Taliban to remain out of the Afghan capital, however it was scuppered by former president Ashraf Ghani’s hasty flight from the nation.

“Even on the finish, we had an settlement with the Talibs for [them] to not enter Kabul,” he mentioned.

Antony Blinken, US secretary of state, mentioned on Monday that Khalilzad would get replaced by Thomas West, who has served as deputy particular consultant for Afghanistan.

“As particular consultant for Afghan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad steps down from his function, I prolong my gratitude for his many years of service to the American folks,” Blinken mentioned.

In his resignation letter to Blinken, which was first printed by The New York Instances, Khalilzad acknowledged that “the political association between the Afghan authorities and the Taliban didn’t go ahead as envisaged”.

“The explanations for this are too complicated and I’ll share my ideas within the coming days and weeks, after leaving authorities service,” he wrote.

Khalilzad additionally mentioned he had been introduced in by Trump “after the choice had been made to considerably scale back or finish the army and financial burden of the Afghan engagement on the US and to free these sources for very important priorities, together with home wants and the problem of coping with points associated to China”.

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