WASHINGTON - While reiterating its support to the Afghan-led reconciliation process, the United States has acknowledged challenges as efforts towards that end continue.
“We’ve been very pragmatic, and I think clear-eyed about the challenges, which still remain in trying to get at an Afghan-led reconciliation process,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the daily Press briefing on Tuesday.
He said that nobody was more mindful of the challenges with respect to the renewed peace drive than the United States, a member the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG).
Following two meetings of the group in Islamabad and Kabul in a week, the spokesman said that President Ashraf Ghani and his Chief Executive Officer Dr. Adullah Abdullah were also aware of those challenges.
“But we applaud the continued efforts that they have put in to get it going. And as we’ve said before, we stand willing to support that process as appropriate, but it must be Afghan-led. That’s the only way this is going to be successful,” Kirby said in response to a question.