U.S. sees contours of peace accord with Taliban to end war in Afghanistan

"We have a draft of the framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement," U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad told the New York Times in an interview in Kabul after six days of talks with the Taliban. "The Taliban have committed, to our satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals." However, there was no sign that the Taliban had agreed to U.S. demands such as that they commit to a ceasefire before the withdrawal of U.S. troops or that they engage in direct talks with the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, analysts said. Another U.S. official in Kabul, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, described "significant progress" in the talks in Qatar but said more negotiations were needed on the issue of the timing of the ceasefire, which looms as a sticking point in the next round of talks on Feb. 25.

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