Afghanistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has drawn up a new proposal for peace with the Taliban ahead of an international conference aimed at jump-starting faltering talks between the two warring sides, official sources said. … According to official sources, Ghani intends to present his three-stage plan at a United Nations-backed conference in Turkey to be attended by the United States, Russia, and other key regional countries. A date for the event has not been finalized.

U.S. intelligence agencies have told the Biden administration that the Taliban could overrun most of Afghanistan within two to three years if U.S. troops leave before a power-sharing deal is reached between the warring sides, a news report said on Friday.

Germany paved the way for its troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond an April 30 deadline that the United States last year agreed with the Taliban for the withdrawal of U.S. forces after nearly two decades of war.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will propose a new presidential election within six months, under a peace plan he will put forward as a counter-offer to a U.S. proposal that he rejects … Ghani will unveil his proposal at an international gathering in Turkey next month, signalling his refusal to accept Washington’s plan for his elected government to be replaced by an interim administration.

The Taliban warned Washington Friday against defying a May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of American and NATO troops from Afghanistan, promising a reaction, which could mean increased attacks by the insurgent group. Biden told ABC in an interview Wednesday that the May 1 deadline "could happen, but it is tough," adding that if the deadline is extended it won't be by "a lot longer."

The United Nations Secretary-General on Wednesday announced the appointment of seasoned mediator Jean Arnault as his new Personal Envoy on Afghanistan and Regional Issues, reflecting the Organization’s continued commitment to the peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict in the country. 

US President Joe Biden has warned it will be "tough" to meet a May 1 deadline to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, as agreed with the Taliban, ahead of a key summit hosted by Russia on Thursday to revive the Afghan peace process.

The new proposal by the United States for ending the war in Afghanistan outlines an ambitious process of international, regional, and national diplomacy. … Missing from the new plan, however, is a formula for establishing interim security arrangements during the transition period.

 Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, joined by political leaders and peace negotiators left Kabul on Wednesday to Russia for Moscow conference on Afghan peace, his office confirmed. “We acknowledge the pivotal role of Afghanistan’s neighbors, and Russia in establishing a lasting peace in the country,” Abdullah's office said.

Russia has sent invitations to leading Afghan politicians, the Taliban, and envoys of the United States, China, and Pakistan to participate in a three day conference starting March 18 on how to facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan.’