Afghan president, politicians discuss peace process

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday hosted key political figures, including former president Hamid Karzai, in order to reach a unified stance on the peace process, an official statement said.

This came as the top U.S. peace negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, is set to visit the war-ravaged country for yet another round of shuttle diplomacy for truce.

According to a statement issued by the presidency, Ghani hosted his power-sharing CEO Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai and former mujahideen commander Abdul Rab Rasul Sayaf and chairman of the High Peace Council Mohammad Karim Khalili.

"The named personalities shared their suggestions for better representation of [all] segments of the society in line with the recent realities and developments for the peace process", the statement said , adding the exchange of views is aimed at streamlining multiple efforts into a unified stance of consultations for peace.

In the past couple of months, the Taliban held multiple round of talks with the U.S. representatives and a selective group of Afghan politicians, including Karzai, in Russia and Qatar.

However, the insurgents continue to refuse meeting Afghan government officials.

"In order to reach a unified stance on the peace process, I will continue the consultation with other politicians and representatives of all walks of life with earnest", President Ghani said in a Twitter post after the meeting.

The U.S. and the Taliban publicly announced to have reached agreement in principle over ultimate withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and no threats of terrorism emerging from the country in the future.

However, agreement is yet to be reached over the thorny issues of comprehensive ceasefire, timetable for the withdrawal of troops and above all intra-Afghan talks for peace.