US's Khalilzad and Turkey stress need for support for Afghanistan peace process

WASHINGTON: US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal in Ankara on Thursday, where they discussed the importance of continuous support to the Afghanistan peace process, the Turkish government said.

Khalilzad will also travel to Qatar, where he will meet Afghan parties for discussions on Afghan peace negotiations, the State Department said.

"It is imperative the parties build on the current momentum and accelerate their work to reach agreement on a political roadmap and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire," the department said in a statement.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Twitter that in the meeting, "they welcomed recent progress in Afghanistan peace negotiations and emphasized the importance of sustaining regional and international support for the peace process."