abcnews--2019-12-05--China says US must cut tariffs in trade deal

Washington must roll back punitive tariffs on Chinese imports if the two sides reach a trade deal, China said Thursday, indicating Beijing is sticking to its position ahead of another possible Dec. 15 duty increase.  The two sides are negotiating details of a “Phase 1” agreement announced by President Donald Trump in October. Beijing said last month the U.S. side agreed to roll back some tariffs, but Trump dismissed that.  “China believes that if the two parties reach a ‘Phase 1’ agreement, tariffs should be reduced accordingly,” said a Commerce Ministry spokesman, Gao Feng.  Gao said negotiators are in “close communication” but he had no other details.  The two sides have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s imports in the fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions and trade surplus. That has disrupted global trade and threatens to chill economic growth.  Washington is due to raise tariffs on an additional $160 billion of Chinese imports on Dec. 15, including smartphones and toys. That will extend penalties to almost everything the United States buys from China.  Global financial markets tumbled this week after Trump cast doubt on whether an agreement can be reached this year.  Details of the Oct. 12 agreement have yet to be released. But it doesn’t address basic disputes about trade, Chinese industrial subsidies and technology policy.  Economists say a final settlement is unlikely this year. Some express skepticism the two sides can complete the “Phase 1” deal.


abcnews--2019-12-15--China delays tariffs on US autos, other goods in trade deal

BEIJING -- China’s government says it will postpone planned punitive tariffs on U.S.-made automobiles and other goods following an interim trade deal with Washington.  Sunday’s announcement came after Washington agreed to postpone a planned tariff hike on $160 billion of Chinese goods and to cut in half penalties that already were imposed.  “China hopes to work with the United States on the basis of equality and mutual respect to properly address each other's core concerns and promote the stable development of Chinese-U.S. economic and trade relations,” said a Cabinet statement.  U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said that under Friday’s agreement, China committed to buy $40 billion of American farm products over the next two years. He said China also promised to end its long-standing practice of pressuring companies to hand over their technology as a condition of market access.  Beijing had planned to impose 25% duties on American-made autos on Sunday, which would have raised the total charge to 40%. Hardest hit were Germany’s BMW AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes unit, which ship U.S.-made SUVs and other cars to China.  Other goods were targeted for 10% and 5% penalties.


abcnews--2019-12-26--China's November soybean imports rise after US trade deal

BEIJING -- China's imports of soybeans surged in November following the announcement of an interim trade deal with the United States.  Imports rose 53.7% over a year earlier to 5.4 million tons, according to customs data.  Imports of U.S. soybeans more than doubled from the previous month to 2.6 million tons, according to AWeb.com, a news website that serves the Chinese farming industry.  China cut off purchases of American soybeans, the country's biggest import from the United States, after President Donald Trump raised import duties on Chinese goods in a dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions and trade surplus.  The two governments announced an interim “Phase 1” agreement in October but have yet to release details. U.S. officials say it might be signed as early as January.  U.S. officials said as part of that deal, Beijing will buy more American farm exports. Chinese officials have yet to confirm the possible scale of purchases.  Chinese government spokespeople said in September importers were placing orders for American soybeans but no details of purchases have been announced.  Chinese buyers use soybeans as animal feed and to crush for cooking oil.  Beijing bought more Brazilian soybeans, but no other supplier could fully replace the large scale of American supplies. That added to the strain on Chinese pig farmers who are struggling with an outbreak of African swine fever that has devastated herds.


breitbart--2019-11-25--Jim Cramer: We Have to Walk Away to Get a Great China Trade Deal

U.S. negotiators should walk away from trade talks with China, CNBC anchor Jim Cramer said Monday morning.  Talks between the U.S. and China have reportedly stalled as China refuses to publicly commit to purchasing $50 billion of agricultural goods and its negotiators insist that the U.S. drop tariffs already in place as part of a ‘phase one’ preliminary trade deal.  Cramer argued that if the U.S. threatened to stop talks, China would be forced to compromise and begin accepting U.S. terms for a deal.  “If you saw [Treasury Secretary Steven] Mnuchin come out and say, ‘You know what? I’m finished with these guys,’ then what would happen is that we’d see a real deal,” Cramer said.  Secretary Mnuchin is thought to be a China ‘dove’–meaning, more open to a permissive deal with China–in the trade talks and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is considered a China ‘hawk.’  “We have to walk away to get a real deal,” Cramer said.  Cramer also argued that U.S. mainstream media bias against Trump was distorting U.S. public perceptions–and perhaps Chinese perceptions–about the trade dispute.  “The hand of Xi keeps weakening but the mainstream media keeps talking about it getting stronger,” Cramer said. “I think that Trump knows that is not the case. All of his trade advocates know that is not the case.”  In particular, U.S. media is exaggerating the strength of the Chinese economy, Cramer said.  “Right now, I really do not think China is doing well economically. And we are. But the mainstream media says that Xi is a great Chinese man with great democratic leanings, member of the WTO, and we have a mad man,” Cramer said.  In response to a question from Becky Quick, Cramer said he doubted the stock market would sell off sharply if trade talks were called off.  “I don’t think it matters. All it does is strengthen his hand,” Cramer said.  “China is the enemy except for the mainstream media that just loves Xi. They think he’s Alexander Hamilton meets George Washington. The guy is a communist dictator who is killing people,” Cramer said.


cbsnews--2019-01-31--Trump optimistic on possible China trade deal

President Trump was optimistic about a possible trade deal with China by a March 1 deadline, as he met with China's top trade negotiator at the White House Thursday afternoon. In the meeting, he was presented with a letter from the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.  The president briefly spoke to reporters before meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, saying that China has agreed to purchase 5 million tons of U.S. soybeans per day.  Mr. Trump tweeted ahead of his meeting with Liu Thursday afternoon that "meetings are going well with good intent and spirit on both sides." The president has expressed some optimism about reaching a deal in the next month, but says "no final deal will be made" until he meets directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.  "China's representatives and I are trying to do a complete deal, leaving NOTHING unresolved on the table," Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "All of the many problems are being discussed and will be hopefully resolved. Tariffs on China increase to 25% on March 1st, so all working hard to complete by that date!"  "Looking for China to open their Markets not only to Financial Services, which they are now doing, but also to our Manufacturing, Farmers and other U.S. businesses and industries. Without this a deal would be unacceptable!" the president also tweeted.  If the U.S. and China reach an agreement on trade, the president told reporters on Thursday, it will be the largest in the world.  But some of the president's top advisers took a more guarded approach to the outcome of the talks.  These are historic talks, I'm not here to predict the outcome," top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in a discussion with reporters in the Roosevelt Room Thursday afternoon.  U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is leading the talks, said the important thing for such conversations is that they do "not come off the rails," which these talks have not.  "Will we have an agreement? I don't know," Lighthizer added.  The Chinese talks are taking place after the U.S. indicted Chinese telecom company Huawei Technologies Co. and its CEO earlier this week on 13 counts, including fraud.  Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon that the intended summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "coming along" and will occur at the end of February.


cnbc--2019-03-14--China suggests linking an official state visit by Xi to a US trade deal

With a U.S.-China trade deal at least weeks away, Chinese negotiators have suggested combining a long-discussed state visit by President Xi Jinping to the United States with the announcement of any forthcoming agreement, according to three sources briefed on discussions.  The two countries had been planning a meeting between the two leaders at President Donald Trump's private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to follow Xi's late-March visit to Europe, to avoid the optics of a standalone trip to announce a trade deal on U.S. soil.  But U.S. officials have suggested there are too many outstanding details to conclude negotiations by then, making a meeting in March unlikely.  "Our hope is we are in the final weeks of having an agreement," Robert Lighthizer, the Trump administration's top trade official, testified to the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. But Lighthizer would not commit to a positive outcome, or a resulting meeting, and said many issues remain. "If those issues are not resolved in favor of the United States, we won't have a deal."  Since the two countries brokered a temporary truce at the G-20, U.S. negotiators have been seeking commitments and concessions up front, while Chinese negotiators had sought to shelve complicated issues for the two presidents to settle in person.  But that dynamic changed, the three people briefed on the talks said, when Trump walked out on talks with Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam, after North Korea sought an end to sanctions. Beijing now wants a deal fully locked in before its leader sits down with Trump, although Trump would still prefer to close the deal himself.  "We could have the deal completed and come and sign — or we can get the deal almost completed and negotiate some of the final points," Trump said Wednesday. "I would prefer that."


cnbc--2019-07-23--US China in-person trade talks expected next week White House eyes longer-term timeline for deal

US, China in-person trade talks expected next week; White House eyes longer-term timeline for deal

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Feb. 15, 2019  American trade negotiators will soon head to China for face-to-face talks as the world's two largest economies try to strike a deal, sources told CNBC.  The U.S. officials will travel to China for discussions sometime between Friday — the start of a six-week congressional recess in Washington — and Thursday, August 1.  While the talks represent a critical next step after a truce reached between the countries' leaders in June, a deal is not viewed as near. President Donald Trump has signaled that he'd be willing to relax restrictions on China's Huawei in exchange for purchases of U.S. agricultural products.  Longer-term, U.S. officials have suggested they could roll back the tariffs in exchange for Beijing making the deal legally binding — something it backtracked on in May.


cnbc--2019-10-14--China wants another round of talks before signing phase one of the trade deal, source says

China wants another round of talks before signing what President Donald Trump called last week the first phase of a trade deal between the two nations, a source told CNBC's Kayla Tausche on Monday.  It is not clear whether the additional trade talks would take place in Washington or Beijing, but a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He could be sent before month's end to iron out phase one of the trade deal.  Bloomberg News first reported the news and said in its report that China also wants the U.S. to scrap a tariff hike scheduled for December.  China and the U.S. held trade talks in Washington last week that ended with Trump saying both sides reached a "very substantial phase one deal." As part of that deal, China will address intellectual property concerns raised by the U.S. and buy $40 billion to $50 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to hold off on a tariff hike set for this week.  But while Trump characterized the talks' outcome as a success, Chinese state media said "substantial progress" was made. Also, it did not call phase one a "deal" while making little mention of the agricultural product purchases.  At this point, another round of in-person negotiations is "likely" given the number of variables encompassing phase one of the trade deal, Tausche reports.


cnsnews--2019-07-01--Kudlow Trumps Agreement to Resume Trade Talks With China Is a Very Big Deal

Kudlow: Trump's Agreement to Resume Trade Talks With China 'Is a Very Big Deal'

(CNSNews.com) - President Trump is returning from the G-20 summit with an agreement to restart trade talks with China.  I had a great meeting with President Xi of China yesterday, far better than expected. I agreed not to increase the already existing Tariffs that we charge China while we continue to negotiate. China has agreed that, during the negotiation, they will begin purchasing large amounts of agricultural product from our great Farmers. At the request of our High Tech companies, and President Xi, I agreed to allow Chinese company Huawei to buy product from them which will not impact our National Security. Importantly, we have opened up negotiations again with China as our relationship with them continues to be a very good one. The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good! There will be no reduction in the Tariffs currently being charged to China.  Chief White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told "Fox News Sunday" the agreement to resume trade talks "is a very big deal."  The first point is just resuming the talks has president said, continuing the talks which had been interrupted for a while is a very big deal. I think that is the banner headline from this, and I think everybody's going to be pleased at that. There's no promises. There's no deal made. There's no timetable. I want to emphasize that, the president said several times this is about the quality of the deal, there's no timetable, there's no rush. He is comfortable where he is in any case. But I think coming back, we will resume the talks, the two teams will be getting together, tariffs will not be raised. There's no lifting of tariffs on the remaining $325 billion, that's an important concession by President Trump. And we also expect the Chinese -- while the talks are going, we expect the Chinese to begin large-scale purchases, imports of the U.S. agriculture products and services. So, new talks, resume talks, no new tariffs and agriculture purchases, and the rest of it is going to go on for quite some time, frankly.  Host Chris Wallace noted that before U.S.-China trade talks broke down in May, Kudlow said the two sides were 90 percent of the way to a deal. "Have they agreed to keep the commitments they'd already made, or are we starting from scratch?" Wallace asked.  "Well, the president himself mentioned a couple of times, in his press conference and elsewhere, that he would like to go back to where we left off in early May, whenever it was, and yes, that 90 percent number is fair, although the last 10 percent could be the toughest and there's no guarantees that the deal will go through.  "Look, it's very important, I know from the American side, the relationship with China has to be rebalanced. It has been very unbalanced in recent years. As you know, we have had tremendous problems with intellectual property theft, force transfers of technology, tariffs, nontariff barriers, various cyber hacking going on and other issues, OK? Those have to be remedied. I mean, that's a very important point of these talks, however long that may take, it is impossible to predict, but we would prefer to go back.  "I don't know what the Chinese side is going to say and we won't know until Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Mnuchin and so forth get back together with their Chinese counterparts," Kudlow said.  President Trump announced he did make one concession to China involving Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, allowing American companies to resume selling technology to Huawei. Some Republicans oppose doing business with a company that is believed to be an extension of Chinese intelligence.  "Now let's be quite careful here," Kudlow said. "The president's announcement...he was very clear to say that American companies can supply Huawei with various products and services provided that there is no national security issues or problems.  "So, the Commerce Department, as you may know, already offered a number of general service licenses for some sales to Huawei. On the other hand, I think Commerce will probably go back after the president's decision and take another look at that, maybe open it up.  "You know, there's a lot of technology services, telecom-related services that really you can find on general markets, and we don't think have any national security implications," Kudlow said. "So, I think there's a good chance the Commerce Department, Secretary Ross, will open the door on that and grant these licenses."  Amid criticism from Republican lawmakers, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) among them, Kudlow said, "This is not a general amnesty, if you will. Huawei will remain on the so-called entity list where there are serious export controls and any national security inferences or suggestions, there won't be any licenses.  "But having said that, I think all this kind of happens is the Commerce Department will grant some temporary additional licenses where there was a general availability. I mean, for example, some of the chips, the chipmakers in the United States are selling products that are frankly widely available from other countries and we don't think there's any national security."  “So, we will look at this carefully. We will undoubtedly -- I think the president will be meeting with senators and others, our own principles are going to be meeting to take a look at this. So, this is not general amnesty. They will remain on the so-called entity list and national security concerns will remain paramount.”


drudgereport--2019-11-05--China presses for more tariff roll-backs in 'phase one' trade deal...

The United States and China appear to be close to clinching the first phase of a trade agreement that is expected to see both sides remove tariffs, according to multiple media reports.  China is pushing President Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a 'phase one' US-China trade deal, people familiar with the negotiations said on Monday.  The deal, which may be signed later this month by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a yet-to-be determined location, is widely expected to include a US pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for December 15 on about $156billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys.  A US official said the fate of the December 15 tariffs is being considered as part of negotiations and a potential signing trip this month.  Another source briefed on the talks said Chinese negotiators want Washington to drop 15 per cent tariffs on about $125billion worth of Chinese goods that went into effect on September 1.  They are also seeking relief from earlier 25 per cent tariffs on about $250billion of imports from machinery and semiconductors to furniture.  A person familiar with Beijing's negotiating position said that China is continuing to press Washington to 'remove all tariffs as soon as possible.'  China's request to remove the September 1 duties was earlier reported by Politico, citing sources.  The Financial Times newspaper also reported that the White House was considering whether to roll back the September 1 tariffs, which cover some clothing items, flat-screen televisions, smart speakers and Bluetooth headphones.  Ralph Winnie, director of the China program at the Eurasia Center, said wrapping up the interim trade pact would provide a boost to both the US and Chinese economies, while handing Trump an important win among farmers - a core constituency.  'It's in both countries' interest to have this trade deal,' Winnie said.  'If he seals the deal, it will be looked on very favorably by the American people. It's a win-win for both countries.'  Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has been pressing China to curb massive subsidies to state-owned firms and end the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese firms as a price of doing business in China.  Analysts say the phase one deal will fail to adequately address these issues, focusing largely on Chinese purchases of US farm goods and intellectual property protections related to copyright and trademark issues. It will not address industrial subsidies at all.  Charles Boustany, a former congressman from Louisiana and counselor at the National Bureau of Asian Research, said any initial agreement would likely be short-term in nature and unstable.  'Even though there's some talk about a phase one agreement, we don't think it´s going to be substantive in terms of addressing any of the structural problems,' he said.  'It would largely be a status quo situation where China continues to do what it´s doing.'  Some business groups complain that a central component of the 'phase one' deal - increased access to China's financial services market - will fall short of its promises, because of inconsistencies in China's new foreign investment law.  In comments submitted to the Chinese government by the US Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in China and the US Information Technology Office, the groups pointed out that Beijing's draft regulations 'do not address clear differences between the treatment of China's state-owned enterprises and the private sector,' according to a person familiar with the comments.  Trump had said on Friday evening that negotiations on the initial phase agreement were going well and he hoped to sign the deal with Xi at a US location when work on the deal was completed.  US and Chinese negotiators have been racing to finalize the text of an agreement for Trump and Xi to sign this month, a process clouded by wrangling over US demands for a timetable of Chinese purchases of US farm products.


drudgereport--2019-12-14--USA, China Agree to Limited Deal to Halt Trade War...

Details emerged Friday from the U.S.’s first-stage trade deal with China, which marked a milestone in President Trump’s initiative to rebalance trade with Beijing but left questions over how far it goes to level the playing field for U.S. businesses.  The limited agreement, capping months of sometimes-testy negotiations, calls for China to purchase more products from American farmers and other exports, U.S. officials said. In return, the U.S. put the brakes on new tariffs set to take effect Sunday and agreed to reduce some...


fortune--2019-10-09--China Open to a Partial Trade Deal With the U.S. Even as Tensions Spike

Less Risk, More ‘Reliability’: Coworking Giant IWG Seeks to Capitalize as WeWork Stumbles


fortune--2019-11-09--U.S.-China Trade Talks: What’s the Deal?

The Maker of White Claw Is Now a Multibillionaire, Thanks to the Hard Seltzer Craze


fortune--2019-12-13--Beijing Complains of ‘Unjustified Restrictions and Crackdowns’ as U.S.-China Trade Deal Hopes Rise

AT&T Turns on 5G for Consumers: What You Need to Know


fortune--2019-12-13--The Markets Have Spoken: Phase One Trade Deal Between the U.S. and China Is ‘No Victory’


foxnews--2019-05-21--China committed to forging new trade deal with Trump countrys ambassador tells Fox News

China 'committed' to forging new trade deal with Trump, country's ambassador tells Fox News

China is "committed" to forging a trade deal with America that will "serve the interests" of both countries, according to Beijing's ambassador to the U.S.  Ambassador Cui Tiankai made the remarks in a Tuesday interview with Bret Baier on "Special Report," in the wake of a breakdown in trade talks earlier this month.  "This trade deficit has a lot of structural reasons behind it. It's not just a simple game of numbers," Cui said. "But still, we are ready to address the imbalance in trade. We are ready to take action to buy more American products and services."  ANGRY DEM SAYS TRUMP 'RAPING THE COUNTRY,' AS IMPEACHMENT PUSH NEARS CRITICAL MASS  Cui said he is optimistic that a new trade pact will come to fruition if "both sides" of the negotiating table have the "political will" required to forge one.  "A good deal has to be made on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit," he said. "China remains ready to continue our talks with our American colleagues to reach a conclusion."  Baier asked about a New York Times report that claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping "misjudged" President Trump's fervor to make a deal, leading the negotiations to fall apart.  "We are still committed to whatever we agree to do," Cui said. "It is the U.S. side that changes its mind so often."  Baier also brought up the contrast between Trump's comments about China's role as an economic rival and those of former Vice President Joe Biden - the current Democratic 2020 front-runner.  "[Biden] says China’s not a competitor of ours. China is a massive competitor of ours," Trump told "The Next Revolution" host Steve Hilton in a Sunday interview.  Trump was addressing comments Biden made at a campaign stop in New Hampshire last week, where he said of China, "they're not bad folks, folks, but guess what, they're not competition for us."  CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  "First of all, we don't want to have anything to do with American domestic politics," Cui said. "Honestly, very often it's almost impossible for us to make sense of it."  Cui added that China's aim is to "meet the growing aspirations of our people" and not to "seek global dominance or to compete with anybody else" to that extent.


investorsbusinessdaily--2019-02-12--U.S.-China Trade Deal: Not Much At Stake, Except The Global Economy

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msnbc--2019-01-09--President Trump reportedly eager to make trade deal with China

More blame Trump after weeks of shutdown: poll


nationalreview--2019-10-11--U.S. Reaches Partial Trade Deal with China: Report

After two productive days of talks in Washington, sources told Bloomberg Friday that the U.S. and China agreed to a partial trade deal, laying the foundation for a broad deal that Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping could sign later this year.  “China would agree to some agricultural concessions and the U.S. would provide some tariff relief,” Bloomberg reports. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin did not confirm an agreement during a press conference, saying the U.S. has had “a productive two days” of negotiations with the Chinese.  Friday morning, Trump seemingly tweeted in anticipation of the deal.  Trump confirmed the deal elaborated on the details Friday afternoon during a meeting He in the Oval Office. The president said a “phase one” agreement was in place and would take several weeks to write, but would likely be signed by both sides in November.  The provisions include China purchasing $40 billion to $50 billion worth of American agricultural products, along with agreeing to guidelines on how it manages its currency, and policies with intellectual property, including forced technology transfer.  On Wall Street, stocks rose on Friday as investors anticipated a positive conclusion to negotiations. The S&P 500 was up roughly 1.8 percent before midday, putting the benchmark stock market index on track to snap losses over the previous three weeks, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 1.9 percent.


newsmax--2019-11-03--Trump Says China Trade Deal Will Be Signed Somewhere in US

The “phase one” trade deal with China, once completed, will be signed somewhere in the U.S., President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday.


newsmax--2019-12-01--Report: US-China Trade Deal 'Stalled Because of Hong Kong Legislation'

A trade deal between United States and China was now "stalled because of Hong Kong legislation," news website Axios reported on Sunday, citing a source close to U.S. President Donald Trump's negotiating team.  The deal was stalled also because time was needed to allow Chinese President Xi Jinping's domestic politics to calm, the report added, citing the unnamed source.  China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that legislation signed by Trump on Wednesday backing protesters in Hong Kong was a serious interference in Chinese affairs.


npr--2019-02-20--Trade Talks With China Continue As Trump Shies From A Hard Deadline For A Deal

Trade Talks With China Continue, As Trump Shies From A Hard Deadline For A Deal  Talks between U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators continue this week in Washington, after discussions last week in Beijing did not yield a deal. Higher level meetings are slated to begin Thursday and continue through the end of the week.  U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to continue the negotations.  On Tuesday, President Trump called the talks "very complex."  "I think the talks are going very well," he told reporters.  A big jump in tariffs is due on March 2, following a March 1 deadline imposed by Trump. Without a deal by that date, tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products would go from 10 percent to 25 percent.  But Trump seemed to back away from a hard deadline, saying that March 1 "is not a magical date."  "The real question will be: will we raise the tariffs?" Trump said, as The Wall Street Journal reports. "I know that China would like not for that to happen. So I think they are trying to move fast so that doesn't happen. But we'll see what happens."  Whether key U.S. issues with China — such as market access and intellectual property enforcement — are resolved remains an open question.  Bloomberg reports that in the negotiations, the U.S. seeks to stabilize the value of the yuan, to head off any efforts by China to devalue its currency: "The Trump administration has been clear in its talks with Beijing that any attempt to depreciate the yuan — a strategy aimed at offsetting existing U.S. duties on Chinese imports — would be met with more or higher American tariffs, according to two of the people briefed on the discussions."  But pledges by China to buy more American goods and address structural issues won't matter if the White House doesn't create mechanisms to enforce the deal, Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told CNBC.  "Without enforcement, this deal fails," Brilliant said. "Implementation and enforcement are going to be two key elements — so you need to have implementation, you need to have follow-through, but you need to have enforcement mechanisms that will ensure that both sides have trust that this deal is sustaining and verifiable."


npr--2019-12-13--U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase 1 Is Here; December Tariffs Are Scrapped

U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase 1 Is Here; December Tariffs Are Scrapped  China and the United States have agreed on what has been called the first phase of a trade deal.  As part of this Phase One agreement announced Friday, the U.S. suspended tariffs that were planned on $160 billion in Chinese imports that were set to take effect Sunday. The U.S. also halved the September 1 tariffs from 15% to 7.5% — they included all kinds of consumer products such as clothing and sports equipment.  Under the deal, China will purchase an unspecified amount of American products and has also agreed to "structural" changes, which have so far not been detailed.  In a tweet, President Trump said the U.S. has agreed to a "very large Phase One trade deal with China" and said tariffs on imported Chinese products that were set to take effect this weekend would not be imposed.  Trump also said Beijing has agreed "to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more." The two countries will begin negotiations over the second phase of a trade deal right away, he said.  China too confirmed in a press conference in Beijing that a deal was reached. Both sides are yet to sign the deal.  Officials said the agreement would cover agricultural products, intellectual property protection, currency manipulation and forced technology transfers by U.S. companies doing business in China.  All are issues that Washington has been pressing China to address for years, with limited success.  China will increase purchases of high quality and competitive products from all countries, including the United States, officials said.


politicalwire--2019-10-11--Trump Announces Partial Trade Deal with China

President Trump announced that the U.S. and China have reached a “very substantial phase one” deal on trade “subject to it being written,” the Washington Post reports.  He added that the tariffs set to go into effect against China on Tuesday have now been canceled.


politicalwire--2019-12-03--Trump Suggests China Trade Deal Could Be Delayed

President Trump said that it might be better to wait until after the 2020 election to strike a trade deal with China, CNBC reports.  Said Trump: “In some ways, I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal, but they want to make a deal now and we will see whether or not the deal is going to be right,”  Bloomberg: “Stocks dropped in Europe and U.S. equity futures sold off as Trump’s comments indicated no urgency to reach a deal by Dec. 15.”


politicalwire--2019-12-12--U.S. and China Reach Tentative Trade Deal

“The U.S. and China have reached agreement on a tentative trade deal, which President Trump is expected to formally approve this afternoon,” the Washington Post reports.  Said one insider: “The deal is essentially done. The mechanics of how you execute it and how you get it signed still have to be worked out.”


politicalwire--2019-12-13--U.S.-China Reach Modest ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal

The United States and China announced that they had reached a “Phase One” trade deal that would see a reduction in tariffs from both sides as well as increase China’s purchases of U.S. agricultural products.  Bloomberg notes the deal averts a new round of tariffs scheduled to go into effect on December 15.  President Trump tweeted that the deal was “amazing.” It’s probably not a coincidence it was announced just minutes after impeachment articles were passed by the House Judiciary Committee.


politico--2019-12-15--Trade rep: China will determine success of trade deal

China, in addition to making promises to better protect U.S. intellectual property, has pledged to buy another $200 billion worth of goods and services from the United States over the next two years, including about $40 billion to $50 billion worth of agricultural products each year.  "You could think of it as $80 to $100 billion in new sales for agriculture over the course of the next two years. Just massive numbers," Lighthizer said.  That has prompted questions about whether U.S. farmers can actually accommodate the increased demand, without siphoning sales away from other export markets they already have.  For much of the last two years, there has been a debate about whether Trump's true aim by imposing tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese good was to separate, or "decouple," the U.S. economy from China, rather reach an actual trade agreement.  On Sunday, Lighthizer indicated the objective was to tie the two economies closer together.  "The way to think about this deal, is this is a first step in trying to integrate two very different systems to the benefit of both of us," the trade chief said.  The Trump administration also got another trade win last week when House Democrats and the AFL-CIO endorsed a newly revised North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, after changes were made to toughen labor enforcement provisions and weaken intellectual property protections for life-saving biologic medicine.  Some of the tweaks made to shore up Democratic support have annoyed Republicans, who have different views of both issues. But that's not expected to block congressional approval. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week and the Senate to follow suit in early 2020, after it finishes Trump's impeachment trial.  Lighthizer conceded weakening the biologics provision made the trade deal worse on that point. But he said the overall package was "better" as a result of the changes demanded by Democrats.  "There's nothing about being against labor enforcement that's Republican," Lighthizer said. "The president wants Mexico to enforce its labor laws. He doesn't want American manufacturing workers to have to compete with people who are in very difficult conditions."


powerlineblog--2019-10-12--Trade Deal With China Is a Blockbuster

Trade Deal With China Is a Blockbuster

What the Democrats fear most is happening: President Trump and his negotiating team are reaching wide-ranging agreements with China that will be a huge boon to the United States.  In an Oval Office press conference yesterday, President Trump and China’s Vice Premier announced a Phase 1 set of agreements that will be documented over the next several weeks. The video of the press conference is embedded below; Trump’s performance was masterful. His many years of experience as a negotiator shine through.  The Phase 1 agreement covers several important topics, including agricultural sales. China has agreed to ramp up its purchases of agricultural products to $40-$50 billion–three times the previous peak–over the next two years. Trump joked that farmers will need to buy more land and work overtime. That means, I think, that Democrats can say goodbye to hopes that tariffs would be the issue that could win votes in rural America.  The agreement also opens up China’s financial services markets to American companies, covers currency manipulation, and addresses some aspects of intellectual property and technology transfer agreements. Phase 2 negotiations will begin immediately.  In view of the Phase 1 agreement, new tariffs scheduled to go into effect on October 15 have been canceled. Further tariff increases are scheduled for December 15, but Trump and Steven Mnuchin, who participated in the press conference, emphasized that there is plenty of time to reach a Phase 2 agreement that would nullify those increases. Phase 2 could be the final agreement, or, if there are still open issues, there could be a Phase 3.  Many are saying that the Chinese willingness to enter into this wide-ranging agreement shows that they understand impeachment is a joke, and expect that President Trump will be re-elected. In fact, Trump himself said exactly that in response to a question: “They expect that I’m going to win. Otherwise they wouldn’t sign the deal. It’s very simple.” If Trump can get our relationship with China straightened out well in advance of the election, with economic benefits becoming visible, the main obstacle to his re-election will, in my opinion, be removed.  Here is the press conference in its entirety:


sottnet--2019-02-23--US China draft memorandums for possible trade deal

US, China draft memorandums for possible trade deal

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.


sottnet--2019-07-30--Trump threatens worse trade deal for China if Beijing stalls until after his re-election

Last week's eruption of Urbinas volcano in Peru, as seen from space


sottnet--2019-12-15--China suspends some retaliatory tariffs after reaching agreement on 'phase one' trade deal with US

China has suspended additional tariffs on some U.S. goods that were meant to be implemented on Dec. 15, the State Council's customs tariff commission said on Sunday, after the world's two largest economies agreed a "phase one" trade deal on Friday.The deal, rumors and leaks over which have gyrated world markets for months, reduces some U.S. tariffs inChina's retaliatory tariffs, which were due to take effect on Dec. 15, were meant to target goods ranging from corn and wheat to U.S. made vehicles and auto parts.the commission said in a statement issued on the websites of government departments including China's finance ministry."China hopes, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, to work with the United States, to properly resolve each other's core concerns and promote the stable development of U.S.-China economic and trade relations," it added.Beijing has agreed to import at least $200 billion in additional U.S. goods and services over the next two years on top of the amount it purchased in 2017, the top U.S. trade negotiator said Friday.A statement issued by the United States Trade Representative also on Friday said the United States would leave in place 25% tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods.


sputnik--2019-04-18--US China Aim to Sign Trade Deal in Late May or Early June - Reports

US, China Aim to Sign Trade Deal in Late May or Early June - Reports

The two sides have set up a draft schedule of meetings that they hope will conclude with a formal signing ceremony as early as May 27, or the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.  The talks are aimed at ironing out the wording of a final trade agreement that would be signed by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.  The report noted, however, that US and Chinese officials have previously missed their own deadlines for concluding a deal.  US President Donald Trump on April 4, after meeting with China's Liu at the White House, said he hopes to wrap up a trade deal with China within four weeks.  Beijing and Washington have been embroiled in a trade dispute since June, when US President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 25 percent tariffs on Chinese goods worth of $50 billion in a bid to fix the US-Chinese trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have exchanged several rounds of trade tariffs.


sputnik--2019-05-20--China Denies Agreeing to Extravagant US Trade Deal Demands Report

China Denies Agreeing to ‘Extravagant’ US Trade Deal Demands – Report

China has denied Trump's claims that Beijing gave into Washington's "extravagant demands," in regards to a future trade deal, The Washington Examiner reported Monday.  "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, referring to Trump's repeated claims that a new trade deal is almost secured.  "Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to," the spokesman added.  Beijing viewed the tariff hike as an attempt to "achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure," Lu noted, adding that China believes further talks "can only follow the tracks of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit."  China reportedly responded to the tariff increase by imposing 25 percent tariffs on $60 billion of US goods, which will come into effect beginning 1 June.  The existing tariffs cover approximately $250 billion worth of goods, The Washington Examiner report says. Currently, the Trump administration is reportedly mulling the imposition of new 25 percent tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, effectively covering everything imported into the US from China.  The introduction of new tariffs may also result in the closure of some 12,000 clothing stores in just one year, according to a report by the Swiss bank UBS, cited by Business Insider. According to the report, the US, being massively overrepresented, will need to close some 21,000 clothing stores owned by many brands by 2026. However, with the new tariffs imposed, about half that number will go out of business in just one year, the document says.  Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that the new trade deal is near completion, is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Japan at the G-20 summit in late June, according to the Examiner.


sputnik--2019-06-25--IMF Urges US China to Resolve Trade Dispute With Comprehensive Deal

IMF Urges US, China to Resolve Trade Dispute With Comprehensive Deal

"It is especially important that the trade tensions between the US and China - which represent a threat to the global outlook and create important negative spillovers to other countries - are quickly resolved through a comprehensive agreement that strengthens the international system," the report said  US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the upcoming G20 summit in Japan this week to try to resolve their ongoing tariff dispute.  US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said last week that Trump is ready to put tariffs on an additional $300 billion of Chinese imports if the United States and China fail to reach a trade agreement. Ross also downplayed the potential that an agreement could be reached at the G20 summit.  The United States and China have been trying to overcome disagreements that emerged in the wake of Trump’s decision last June to impose the 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods in a bid to fix the trade deficit. Since then, the two sides have exchanged several rounds of tariffs.  In May, the United States escalated the trade dispute with China when it included another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the 25 percent tariff category. China pledged to retaliate by hiking tariffs on $60 billion worth of US imports in June.


sputnik--2019-10-11--Trump Says US, China Reached 'Substantial Phase One' Trade Deal

Trump announced a "very substantial phase one deal" Friday the Oval Office, while Chinese Vice Premier Liu He sat nearby. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin noted it addressed transparency issues related to foreign exchange rates.  Mnuchin further noted that more work is needed to be done, and that officials will be considering whether or not to rescind the US' currency manipulation designation on China.  The news caused US stock markets to explode, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average spiking by nearly 500 points with just minutes to go before closing, but when it became apparent the deal wouldn't be penned until November, investors began to backtrack somewhat. The Dow still ended the day with a gain of 318.83.


sputnik--2019-11-01--Trump Announces Plan for New Location for Signing of ‘Phase One’ of US-China Trade Deal

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced Wednesday he’s calling off the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago in mid-November due to nationwide protests sparked by a proposed hike in public transport fares. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were expected to meet at the summit to discuss a possible “phase one” deal that the two countries are close to finalizing and could possibly even sign.  “China and the USA are working on selecting a new site for the signing of Phase One of Trade Agreement, about 60% of the total deal, after APEC in Chile was cancelled due to unrelated circumstances,” Trump tweeted on Thursday.  Trump earlier said that the “phase one” trade deal represents the majority of a long-term agreement, as Bloomberg News reported Thursday that China is doubtful about reaching a comprehensive trade deal with the US due to Trump’s “impulsive nature.” The US president assured that the phase one deal is “very substantial” and phase two will start “almost immediately” after the first phase is signed.  Trump had said the agreement would address issues such as intellectual property and financial services and has China promising to buy $40 billion to $50 billion in American agricultural products, while also including a pause in tariff hikes.


breitbart--2019-04-17--Taliban Corrects Reuters Report Claiming Women Jihadis Would Negotiate Peace Talks

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the jihadi group, indicated that “women will be included for the first time in the Taliban delegation to peace talks in Qatar this month.”  The report came a day after the state-owned Xinhua news outlet from China, Afghanistan’s neighbor, suggested that the terrorist group is suspected of bombing two girl’s schools in the war-ravaged country in recent days — on Monday and Sunday.  “For a group notorious for its strictly conservative attitude to women’s rights, the move represents a step towards addressing demands that women be included in the talks, intended to lay the foundations for a future peace settlement,” Reuters noted.  “There will be women among Taliban delegation members in the Doha, Qatar, meeting,” Mujahid allegedly told Reuters via a telephone call.  Without naming the women, he added, “These women have no family relationship with the senior members of the Taliban, they are normal Afghans, from inside and outside the country, who have been supporters and part of the struggle of the Islamic Emirate [Taliban].”  Soon after the Reuters article came to light, Mujahid dismissed it as fake news.  On Wednesday, Xinhua suggested the Taliban may be behind the recent attack on two girls’ schools in western Afghanistan’s Farah province, which shares a border with the group’s ally Iran.  Although no specific group claimed responsibility for the attack, Xinhua noted, “Taliban militants have in the past been blamed for such incidents as they oppose girls’ education.”  After a brief hiatus, the U.S. and the Taliban are reportedly expected to resume negotiations during an April 19-21 meeting in the Qatari capital of Doha, home to the group’s political office.  The Taliban’s refusal to allow Kabul to participate in the talks has surfaced as the top point of contention between negotiators. Nevertheless, Reuters noted that the upcoming negotiations would include a delegation “comprising prominent Afghans, including opposition politicians and civil society activists.”  “The non-Taliban delegation that was in Moscow [in February] could be expanded next week to include some government officials, but acting in their private capacities as the insurgents have refused to hold formal talks with Kabul,” it adds.  The Taliban, which is fighting to establish an Islamic State in Afghanistan, considers itself the only legitimate government in the country, dismissing Kabul as an American “puppet.”  Under President Donald Trump, the United States has deemed the negotiated political reconciliation between Kabul and the Taliban — which may allow the group to return to power — the top priority of its strategy to end the conflict.  The Taliban has intensified attacks against U.S. troops as well as Afghan security forces and civilians amid the ongoing peace negotiations, particularly after launching its spring offensive, dubbed “Victory,” last Friday.  However, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) continue to show a willingness to take on the terrorist group, killing an estimated 200 Taliban jihadis in less than a week since the offensive began.  Under U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States has boosted its peace-seeking efforts to end the ongoing war — raging since October 2001.  So far, negotiations have produced a draft agreement — the eventual withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces in exchange for counterterrorism assurances from the Taliban.  The terrorist group has rejected the Trump administration’s proposal to leave behind a residual force to ensure it keeps its promises, demanding that the foreign troops leave within months.  Taliban terrorists claim they will only talk to Kabul after the departure of all U.S.-NATO troops.


breitbart--2019-08-26--Americans Stand Defeated Taliban Says Peace Deal with US Imminent

'Americans Stand Defeated': Taliban Says Peace Deal with U.S. Imminent

“The U.S. agreed to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and resolve the Afghan issue peacefully,” Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson, told Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday.  Shaheen refused to elaborate on the timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.  Zabihullah Mujahid, another Taliban spokesman, told Voice of America (VOA) on Saturday that negotiators are fleshing out the details of a mechanism for pulling out U.S.-led foreign forces from Afghanistan.  Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the United States is planning to leave behind a residual force in Afghanistan.  The limited American presence is expected to ensure the Taliban keeps its end of the peace agreement.  VOA suggested that the residual force may only remain in the country until the end of 2020. President Trump, however, said the United States will “always” maintain a presence in Afghanistan.  Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai, the top Taliban peace negotiator, recently described the potential agreement as a victory for the terrorist group.  He boasted that the Taliban brought U.S.-led foreign forces to “their knees” in war, VOA learned from a video disseminated Saturday by media outlets friendly to the terrorist group.  “I believe that Americans will leave Afghanistan very soon. Americans stand defeated, and Afghanistan will again be liberated,” Stanekzai declared.  The Taliban and the United States are currently engaged in the ninth round of peace negotiations in Qatar, which began last Thursday. Both sides have been discussing an end to the Afghan war for over a year.  So far, the U.S. has agreed to pull out the vast majority of foreign forces in exchange for Taliban assurances that Afghanistan will not harbor international terrorists such as its ally al-Qaeda and rival Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).  Taliban terrorists remain cozy with al-Qaeda, according to the Pentagon, the United Nations, and independent assessments.  The U.S. also expects the Taliban to accept a ceasefire with U.S.-backed Afghan security forces. Moreover, the U.S. demands that the Taliban agree to intra-Afghan talks. Reuters, however, reported Monday that the peace pact with the United States would not prevent the terrorist group from targeting U.S.-backed Afghan security forces.  “We will continue our fight against the Afghan government and seize power by force,” a Taliban commander told Reuters on condition of anonymity.  “The Americans will not come to the assistance of the Afghan government and its forces in their fight against us,” the commander reportedly added.  President Trump has repeatedly said he plans to leave behind a limited force in Afghanistan to keep tabs on the Taliban despite rabid opposition by the terrorist group to the proposal.  On Friday, Shaheen told Dawn that the Taliban and the United States had reached an agreement on a time frame for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.  “We have an agreement on a time frame for the withdrawal”‘ he said, without elaborating further. “Discussions are now focused on its implementation mechanism.”  For months, the main point of contention between peace deal negotiators has been finalizing details behind the timeframe for the withdrawal of foreign forces.  Taliban jihadis continue to refuse to recognize the Afghan government, dismissing it as an American “puppet.”  The Taliban, which is fighting to establish a sharia-compliant Islamic emirate, considers itself the only legitimate government of Afghanistan.  Asked if the terrorist group is planning to sit with the Kabul after negotiators finalize a peace deal, Shaheen told AA:  Taliban narco-jihadis have stressed they will only negotiate with the Afghan government after the complete withdrawal of foreign forces.  It remains unclear exactly what the peace deal between the United States and the Taliban will entail because negotiations continue.  The Trump administration hopes to announce a pact by September 1.


cnn--2019-02-16--Kushner readies for spring launch of US Middle East peace plan

Washington (CNN) The United States is beginning to prep allies for a spring rollout of its plan for Middle East peace, with President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, outlining the timing and methodology of the plan at the Middle East security conference in Warsaw, Poland.  During a presentation Thursday, Kushner confirmed that the Trump administration will not release its peace plan prior to Israel's elections in April, according to a senior administration official present in the room.  After a series of meetings at the Munich Security Conference this weekend, Kushner will spend the end of the month, alongside Jason Greenblatt, Trump's former personal lawyer who is now an adviser on Israel, on a trip to present economic elements of the plan to wealthy Arab allies.  Kushner's presentation was the first chance international diplomats had to hear about the Trump administration's efforts to resolve the decades-long conflict. The President's son-in-law and his team have kept a tight wrap on the substance of his plan, refusing to share details with traditional US partners on Mideast peace efforts, including allies in the region and in Europe.  The silence surrounding the plan has become a source of frustration and uncertainty that some diplomats worry could eventually scuttle the proposal's chances.  Kushner has rebuffed major US allies' requests to circulate the plan, one diplomat said, as he and his team are reportedly fearful that its contents would leak out and the proposal would be scuttled before they have a chance to roll it out.  But the diplomat told CNN that the silence and secrecy could contribute to the plan's failure. This diplomat said major US allies hope to see the proposal early so they can identify snags or build support, but they have been met with silence, which has left them frustrated.  "We're not being told anything," a second diplomat said. These allies very much want to help out in the process if they can, but they feel left out and many have voiced frustration.  One concern the allies have is they will learn about the substance of the plan so late in the game that it's impossible to weigh in with changes -- and that it could be something they can't support.  One source familiar with discussions between countries said this is particularly a concern in Arab countries that will get briefed on the economic portion of the proposal -- which they will be asked to fund.  "This is not likely to go well -- the economic piece is seen in the region as shorthand for trying to buy the Palestinians off," the source said. "It's important to get Arab buy-in. You need the main Arab players to urge the Palestinians not to say no. ... You want them to go to (Palestinian Authority President) Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and say, 'Don't dismiss it. Give it a thought. Let's see what elements you can live with.' For that to happen," the source said, Arab countries "have to feel that they are co-owners of this thing. They have to be privy" to the substance of the plan.  That source cautioned that while almost nothing is known about the proposal, it is expected to skew heavily in favor of Israel and is expected to use nonlegal language, not the internationally established and accepted jargon associated with past peace proposals.  The style and choice of the language, the source said, is an attempt to speak directly to Palestinians in the hope that they can be used to pressure Abbas to accept the plan. It is not expected to mention a two-state solution, the source said, but explains how Palestinian self-determination will manifest itself.  In Poland on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told those gathered at Kushner's briefing that he will not prejudge the plan before it is put out and he hopes that Palestinians, who refused to attend the meeting, will do so as well, according to the senior administration official in the room.  Talks between the US and Palestinians broke down after Trump's December 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a rejection of international consensus that the issue should be resolved toward the end of peace negotiations.  The US has also closed the Palestinian diplomatic presence in Washington and cut aid to Palestinian refugees, deepening the chill between the two sides, leading Palestinians to declare that the US had forfeited its position as a neutral arbiter in the conflict.  A diplomat familiar with the peace plan discussions said the US had asked Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, Prince Khalid bin Salman, to try to get Palestinian leadership to attend the summit. He was unsuccessful.  An Arab diplomat said the United Arab Emirates had also asked the Palestinians to come to Warsaw -- but they said no. Their reasoning, the diplomat said, is that the US has not done anything in their favor, giving them little reason to attend the conference.  "We can try to talk and give some advice, but can't force them to do anything," a Saudi diplomat told CNN. "We do not have the power to tell people not to go or to go. But we always try to bridge opinions when we can."  The senior administration official said rollout of the peace plan has been delayed by a number of external factors. Kushner and his team were supposed to visit the countries that are to be involved with the economic portion of the proposal in October, but that got pushed back after Khashoggi's murder.  US elections in November created another roadblock, along with the partial government shutdown in January. But some analysts said the delay until after April's elections may be about helping Netanyahu, an old family friend of Kushner's who is facing corruption allegations and political headwinds.  Even if the Israeli leader wins the elections in April, the political baggage he carries -- including the possibility he may get indicted on corruption charges -- may make it hard for him to assemble a coalition. But if the administration puts forward a peace plan after the election, various Israeli political parties might want to join the coalition to be part of that process.  "Netanyahu might be keen on having the plan coming out after the election and before coalition formation, so it could be a pivot point to broaden his coalition," said David Makovsky, of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy.  Schanzer said the proposal's rollout could just as easily sink the prime minister, who has drawn some red lines about what he will and will not accept.  Netanyahu's conditions include an Israeli security presence along the Jordan River -- the western edge of any future Palestinian state -- for decades. And he has said in the past that he will not divide Jerusalem, even as Palestinians say they want to establish their capital there as well.  "I think it could be a bomb they are going to drop on the Israeli political system. ... No matter when this thing is rolled out, there is a possibility that this plan blows up Netanyahu's chance at being prime minister even if he wins the election," Schanzer said. "This could disrupt his ability to hold together a coalition because of what he would be asked to give up."


foreignpolicy--2019-09-11--In the Demise of the Taliban Peace Talks Russia Is the Winner

In the Demise of the Taliban Peace Talks, Russia Is the Winner  Over the weekend, the prospects of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban seemed to fall apart. That is a major setback, since it will likely delay a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and could lead to an escalated Taliban offensive on Afghan government-held territories. But one player—Russia—might benefit.  In an otherwise dark period for U.S.-Russian relations, Afghanistan seemed to have recently emerged as a rare bright spot for bilateral cooperation. After a visit to Moscow in May, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described achieving a “reduction in violence” in Afghanistan as a shared interest of the United States and Russia. Dialogue between U.S. and Russian officials on Afghanistan, which was largely frozen after the collapse of the Northern Distribution Network—a rail network passing through Russia that supplied U.S. forces—in 2015 is now commonplace. Russia had even offered to act as a guarantor for any future U.S.-Taliban peace agreement. Although such a deal now seems to be off the table, Russia’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, stated that he believes U.S.-Taliban peace talks are “suspended” but not “dead,” and he announced Moscow’s plans to consult with the United States on the future of the negotiations.  Although the de-escalation of tensions between the United States and Russia, which had risen last year due to Moscow’s alleged arms transfers to the Taliban, is a positive development, Russia should not be trusted as a partner in Afghanistan. The collapse of the U.S.-Taliban peace talks provides an opening for Russia to reassert its diplomatic presence in the country, and this prospect should concern U.S. policymakers. Russia’s subversion of the authority of Afghanistan’s internationally recognized government and propagation of disinformation about U.S. intentions in Afghanistan reveal that Moscow remains a dangerous adversary in the region.  Ever since Russia overruled strenuous objections from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and invited a Taliban delegation to Moscow in November 2018, Russia’s relationship with the Afghan government has deteriorated. Kabul’s frustrations with Moscow have boiled over into public statements. For example, in February, Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Sebghat Ahmadi openly described Kremlin-backed negotiations as unhelpful to the peace process. As Russia fears that its poor relationship with the Afghan government could lead to its diplomatic isolation, Moscow has subverted Ghani’s authority by throwing its weight behind opposition figures and strengthening its relationship with the Taliban.  As long as the United States still wants some kind of settlement between Kabul and the Taliban, Russia’s overt support for opposition figures is counterproductive, because it risks undermining Afghan public trust in an eventual peace agreement. Russia’s efforts to bolster the influence of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai should be viewed with particular concern. Through his participation in Kremlin-hosted peace negotiations and regular interviews with Russian state media outlets, Karzai has repeatedly raised doubts about Washington’s ability to constructively contribute to Afghan security. As Karzai retains popular support among Afghanistan’s Pashtun community, his anti-American rhetoric could turn this group against any residual presence of U.S. intelligence personnel after the United States leaves the conflict.  Meanwhile, the Moscow-based Council of Afghan Society’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between Afghan opposition figures and the Taliban also undercut the peace process, as they sowed discord among supporters of Afghanistan’s U.N.-recognized government. In February, Ghani accused Afghan opposition figures who participated in these Moscow-hosted talks of placing their political ambitions ahead of peace, and in May, Amrullah Saleh, who is campaigning to be Ghani’s vice president in upcoming presidential elections, accused opposition participants of betraying the Afghan public. By polarizing representatives of the Afghan government along pro- and anti-Ghani lines, Russia has inadvertently facilitated the Taliban’s efforts to frame the Afghan government as a divided, illegitimate authority that does not represent the Afghan people.  Russia’s efforts to strengthen its diplomatic partnership with the Taliban might also have fueled the militant group’s expansionist ambitions, at a time when the United States had urged the Taliban to abandon its goal of recreating an Islamic emirate in exchange for a U.S. withdrawal. Although Russia officially labels the Taliban as a terrorist organization, influential Russian experts, such Oleg Barabanov from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, are increasingly inclined to view “moderate” Taliban members as trustworthy partners. This perception could cause Russia to lobby for expanded Taliban influence over Afghanistan’s future and indirectly reward the Taliban’s expansionist activities, as Moscow routinely invokes the Taliban’s territorial reach as a justification for deepening the group’s diplomatic representation.  In addition to complicating the path to a lasting peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Russia continues to spread disinformation about U.S. objectives in Afghanistan that is aimed at eroding Afghan public trust in U.S. security guarantees. Russia’s state media outlet Sputnik is a leading agent of such disinformation, as it operates a Dari-language website, but Sputnik’s efforts are frequently complemented by statements from the Russian foreign ministry.  Russian state media outlets and officials have frequently floated the conspiracy theory that the United States is covertly supporting the Islamic State of Khorasan Province in Afghanistan. The Russian foreign ministry has alleged that unidentified helicopters use Afghanistan’s NATO-controlled airspace to supply weapons to the Islamic State branch and that U.S. special forces seized prison documents to obfuscate Washington’s covert alignment with the group. Russia has cast similar negative aspersions about the U.S. government’s support for the postponement of Afghanistan’s elections. In an official statement in January, the Russian foreign ministry accused the United States of trying to assume control over Afghanistan’s electoral process and said that Ghani’s government was placing U.S. interests ahead of the demands of Afghan society.  Even as the United States and the Taliban seemed close to a deal. Russia’s disinformation machinery continued operating in full gear. Sputnik framed U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed retention of intelligence personnel in Afghanistan as a facade for the preservation of an eternal U.S. presence in the country. Russian state media outlets also circulated the narrative that the United States was deceiving the Taliban with false promises of a military withdrawal. These messages aligned closely with long-standing Russian fears of a U.S. desire to maintain a permanent base in Afghanistan from which to plunder Central Asia’s mineral resources and encircle Iran. Since the U.S.-Taliban peace negotiations broke down, pro-Kremlin news organizations have accused Trump of using the death of a U.S. soldier at the hands of the Taliban as an excuse to abandon the peace talks and argued that the United States backed out of the negotiations so it could blame the Afghan government if the Taliban recaptured Kabul.  As U.S. policymakers figure out how to reboot or replace the recently collapsed peace process, Washington should view Moscow as a potential spoiler of, rather than a partner for, its plans in Afghanistan. Russia’s willingness to engage with the United States in the country is principally aimed at highlighting its great power status and should not be viewed as real support. Although Russia is genuinely concerned about the spillover of terrorism from an unstable Afghanistan to Central Asia, it principally seeks to counter that threat by consolidating its hegemony over Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and strengthening its influence in Afghanistan by backing pro-Kremlin political figures.  The collapse of the U.S.-Taliban peace negotiations is likely to lead to a revival of alternative diplomatic processes on Afghanistan, and Russia’s Moscow-format talks will undoubtedly benefit from this trend. As Russia’s diplomatic clout grows, the United States should formulate a strategy to combat its subversion of Ghani’s government, counter Kremlin disinformation tactics, and restrict Moscow’s ability to undermine Washington’s interests in Afghanistan.


france24--2019-06-30--US and Taliban push for tangible results in fresh round of peace talks

US and Taliban push for ‘tangible results’ in fresh round of peace talks

REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina | Members of a Taliban delegation, led by chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (C, front), leave after peace talks with Afghan senior politicians in Moscow, Russia May 30, 2019  Peace negotiations between the US and Taliban are “critical” a spokesman for the militant group said Sunday during the second day of talks in Qatar, as the insurgents claimed responsibility for two attacks that left several Afghans dead.  Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the Associated Press that both sides are looking for “tangible results” as they try to hammer out the fine print of agreements that will see the eventual withdrawal of over 20,000 US and NATO troops from Afghanistan, and end America's longest-running war.  The agreements are also expected to provide guarantees that Afghanistan will not again harbor terrorists planning international attacks.  The talks began on Saturday and are expected to continue into the next week.  The two sides sat down to negotiate just days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington was hopeful of a deal to end Afghanistan's protracted war by September 1.  "Getting a comprehensive peace agreement with the Taliban before September 1 would be nothing short of a miracle," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the US-based Wilson's Center.  "That said, I could certainly envision a more limited deal being in place by September 1 on a US troop withdrawal, given that there's already been ample progress on this issue."  Pompeo and Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad have both said the final accord will include not only agreements with the Taliban on troop withdrawal and guarantees of a non-threatening Afghanistan, but also agreements on intra-Afghan dialogue and a permanent cease fire.  But a lasting peace may already have suffered a setback following two separate attacks on Saturday by Taliban fighters.  At least eight election commission staff were killed in an attack in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, where the jihadist group set off car bombs, Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Zabiullah Sadaat told AFP. A Kandahar police spokesman, said security forces were also killed in the attack, and that district’s communications had been cut off.  The Taliban also claimed responsibility for Saturday’s killing of at least 25 pro-government militiamen in an attack in northern Afghanistan.  Until now the Taliban have refused direct talks with the Afghan government while holding two separate meetings with a wide array of prominent Afghans from Kabul, including former president Hamid Karzai, members of the former northern alliance that fought the Taliban during its five-year rule as well as members of the government.  The Taliban have said they will meet government officials but as ordinary Afghans, labelling President Ashraf Ghani's government a US puppet and noting that the Washington is the final arbiter on the key issue: troop withdrawal.  The Taliban have refused to commit to a ceasefire until the withdrawal is complete, saying that to restart their insurgency if the US reneges on its promises could be difficult.  But the accelerated pace of negotiations and the sudden announcement of a September 1 target date for an agreement could be linked to Afghan President Ghani's insistence on presidential polls scheduled for September 28 in Afghanistan, say analysts.  The upcoming elections have been criticised by many of his political opponents who often point to last October's parliamentary polls. The voting was so badly mismanaged that Ghani fired the entire Independent Election Commission, and several of the parliamentary seats are still being contested.  A biometric identification system aimed at reducing election fraud was prematurely rolled out, with the few people trained on the machines not even showing up on election day.  While there were incidences of election violence, analysts widely agreed the greatest flaw was the widespread mismanagement and fraud.  Khalilzad has also suggested that presidential elections could hamper reaching a peace agreement.  "I do think the US government recognises that the election could pose a major obstacle to peace talks, given that it will be a distraction and given that it will accentuate and intensify the fractures and rivalries in the Afghan political environment that undercut reconciliation prospects," said regional expert Kugelman.  "Another reason for the focus on September 1 is much simpler: President Trump wants out, and he wants a deal as soon as possible."


inquisitr--2019-09-03--Donald Trumps Afghanistan Peace Deal With Taliban Is Called Losing Says Brit Hume

Donald Trump’s Afghanistan Peace Deal With Taliban ‘Is Called Losing,’ Says Brit Hume

The Afghanistan war has lasted almost 18 years now, and President Donald Trump remains focused on ending it and bringing U.S. troops home. Negotiators are reportedly closing in on a deal that will set a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops, and peace talks between Afghan and Taliban have led to a peace agreement “in principle” that will ostensibly create a path forward for the South-Central Asian country.  Per Newsweek, not everyone is impressed with Trump’s non-interventionist leaning, including Fox News analyst Brit Hume, who believes that the peace agreement with the Taliban is equivalent to “losing.”  “This is called losing,” Hume said on Fox News Sunday during an interview with Chris Wallace.  “We completely — ultimately abandoned that situation over there, partly because it’s unpopular, partly because people are frustrated with it, partly because it’s been going on so long,” he added, claiming that the U.S. military and public will not likely be happy with the results.  As of now, CNN reports that Trump must still approve the agreement between U.S. and Taliban. If it proceeds, it reportedly means the U.S. will remove troops from five bases across Afghanistan within 135 days. Of course, this is conditional on Taliban holding up their end of the agreement, which includes counter-terrorism assurances and a comprehensive ceasefire. If the agreement proceeds, it could end the 18-year war — American’s longest yet — that has siphoned up billions of dollars of taxpayer money.  Although the move is seen as positive by many, others are skeptical that it will proceed with the intended results. Al Jazeera reports that Afghanistan civilians are skeptical of the deal and highlight the exclusion of specific parties — the Afghan government, women representatives, and minority groups — from the peace negotiations. These exclusions were reportedly the result of Taliban request, according to the Al Jazeera report.  “Some of these civil activists have argued that agreeing to the demands of the armed group would legitimise its position and embolden it to use the lives of Afghan civilians as leverage in the talks, but these voices have been excluded from the peace talks and silenced by the many threats the Taliban has made against anyone who dares to speak against them.”  According to Ryan Crocker, a U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan in 2011 to 2012, the U.S. has a duty to protect its allies before it leaves Afghanistan. Per The Washington Post, he highlights that withdrawing U.S. troops means that some Afghan partners that are waiting for visa processing would lose not just lose their jobs but their right to live in a safe, protected U.S. base. He said that the Taliban could not be trusted with such Afghan interpreters, whom he claims they have “targeted as traitors.”


nationalreview--2019-01-28--REPORT US Agrees to Outlines of Peace Deal with Taliban

REPORT: U.S. Agrees to Outlines of Peace Deal with Taliban

The U.S. has agreed to the outlines of a peace deal with the Taliban that includes the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for a guarantee that terrorist groups will not be permitted to take route in the vacated region, the New York Times reported Monday.  “We have a draft of the framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement,” America’s chief negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the New York Times during an interview in Kabul. “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.”  “We felt enough confidence that we said we need to get this fleshed out, and details need to be worked out,” he added.  The U.S. has also demanded that the Taliban enter into a cease-fire with the Afghan government as a precondition for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Taliban leadership is reportedly considering the demand but has not yet agreed to it.  While the deal has not yet been finalized, it represents the most significant progress since peace negotiations began some nine years ago.  Following six days of negotiation, Khalilzad briefed Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on the status of negotiations, prompting the president to strike a tone of cautious optimism in a subsequent address to the nation.  “We want peace quickly, we want it soon, but we want it with prudence,” Ghani said. “Prudence is important so we do not repeat past mistakes.”


rferl--2019-02-20--Afghan Loya Jirga To Convene Next Month To Discuss Peace Talks

KABUL -- Afghan politicians and tribal, ethnic, and religious leaders are set to meet for at least four days next month to discuss negotiations with the Taliban, President Ashraf Ghani's special peace envoy has said.      Omar Daudzai said on February 20 that the gathering, known as a Loya Jirga, will be held from March 17-20, adding: “If the discussions continue, it will be extended.”      Daudzai said that the consultative Loya Jirga will discuss the government's "values and red lines" and will aim to come up with a framework for the Western-backed government in Kabul to engage in peace negotiations with the militant group.  The Taliban, which now reportedly controls nearly half of Afghanistan, has so far refused to hold direct negotiations with the Afghan government, calling it a Western puppet.      However, it has held a series of direct talks with U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in recent months to put an end to the 17-year war in Afghanistan.      Speaking at an event organized by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) in Kabul, Daudzai said that most Afghan politicians want these talks to lay the groundwork for direct negotiations between the Taliban and Kabul.      AIHRC head Sima Samer warned that using human rights as a bargaining chip in the talks with the Taliban would undermine any peace agreement.      U.S. Ambassador John Bass emphasized that the final goal of the talks was "peace and dignity" for the people of Afghanistan.      Khalilzad is scheduled to meet Taliban negotiators for talks in Qatar on February 25.      During their previous round of talks in Doha, the Qatari capital, U.S. and Taliban negotiators reached the basic framework of a possible peace deal.      The agreement calls for the Taliban to prevent international terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan and for the United States to withdraw its forces from the country.      U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan since an October 2001 invasion that brought down the Taliban government after it refused to hand over Al-Qaeda terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, blamed for launching the September 11, 2001, in the United States.      Taliban leaders, who took control in 1996, imposed a harsh form of Islamic law that denied education and work to women and girls as they cracked down on other social activities.


rferl--2019-03-30--Actress-Activist Jolie Urges Role For Women In Afghan Peace Process

U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, who is an activist for refugee-related causes, has urged in a speech at the United Nations that women be represented in the peace process aimed at ending the long conflict in Afghanistan.      "In Afghanistan thousands of women have recently come together in public risking their lives to ask that their rights and the rights of their children be guaranteed in peace negotiations that so far they have been allowed no part of," Jolie told ministers and diplomats at the UN on March 29.      "The international community's silent response is alarming, to say the least," Jolie added. "There can be no peace or stability in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world that involves trading away the rights of women."      The world "will remain stuck in a cycle of violence and conflicts" as long as countries put almost every other issue ahead of equality for women, she said.      The 43-year-old Academy Award-winning actress serves as a special envoy for the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency that she began working with 18 years ago.      The United States has been leading peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar as Washington seeks to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan.      The government in Kabul has complained about being left out of direct talks, as the Taliban refuse to negotiate with Afghan officials, calling them puppets of the United States.      Some women have also expressed concerns that their voices are being sidelined and that the small gains experienced since the Taliban was driven from power in 2001 could be reversed if the extremist group is allowed back into government.      More generally, Jolie said there are many examples of successful and inspiring women throughout the world, "but women and girls are still the majority of the victims of war."      "They are over half of all refugees, and the vast majority of the victims of rape and other sexual and gender-based violence," she said in the UN speech.


rferl--2019-04-19--Afghan Peace Talks Suspended Amid Conflict Over Delegates

Disputes over the size of delegations have roiled critical peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, with new talks in Qatar now suspended and Washington urging both sides to return to the table.      The talks, which had been scheduled for April 19, were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops.      But a statement released April 18 by the Afghan government blamed the Qatari government for the disruption.      The head of the organization hosting the talks in Doha, however, said the dispute stemmed from disagreement over the size and composition of the respective delegations.      "This unfortunate postponement is necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate in the conference," Sultan Barakat, of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, said in a statement.      President Ashraf Ghani's administration earlier in the week had announced a list of 250 people, including government figures, to attend the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha.      The Taliban criticized the lengthy list, saying that they would not meet with so many people.      The Taliban also insisted they would not be negotiating with Kabul at the conference.      The list was also criticized by some powerful opposition figures, including the powerful former warlord, Atta Mohammad Noor, who said it was not inclusive.      The U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said he was disappointed by the delay.      "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy said in a post to Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans."      The United States has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push.      In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the Taliban have launched their so-called spring offensive, unleashing violence in many parts of the country.      The militants now control or influence about half the country, and last year was the deadliest yet for civilians.


rferl--2019-04-22--Pompeo Tells Afghan President Qatar Talks With Taliban Best Chance For Peace

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to express disappointment over the postponement of talks with the Taliban and to condemn the insurgent group’s recent announcement of a "spring offensive."  Some 250 Afghan politicians and civil society figures had been due to meet with Taliban negotiators in Doha starting on April 19 for the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue. It would have marked the first time that Taliban and Kabul government officials sat together.  But the meetings were abruptly cancelled on April 18 amid disagreements about the size and composition of the Afghan delegation.  The State Department said in a statement that Pompeo called Ghani on April 21 and condemned the Taliban's announcement of starting another offensive in the spring.  Pompeo also said that the talks present an important opportunity to advance peace.  “The secretary encouraged all sides to seize the moment and reach an understanding on participants, so that an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue can be convened in Doha as soon as possible,” the State Department said.  The United States has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push.


rferl--2019-04-28--US Envoy Says On Eve Of Loya Jirga That Taliban Must Adapt For Peace

U.S. Envoy Says On Eve Of Loya Jirga That Taliban Must Adapt For Peace

The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says the Taliban must change its ways and agree to a cease-fire if peace is to come to the country that has been locked in a civil war for 17 years.      Khalizad, the head of U.S. efforts to force a peace deal with the Taliban, made his comments during a visit to Kabul on April 28.      "If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war not peace," Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, told the private television station Tolo News.      He added: "Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we don't see a permanent cease-fire and a commitment to end the war. We are seeking peace and [a] political settlement.... We want peace to give [U.S.-led forces] the possibility to withdraw."      The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of Resolute Support, a NATO-led mission that provides training and assistance to security forces in Afghanistan as they battle Taliban fighters and other extremist groups, including Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.        Khalilzad's comments came one day before the holding of a nationwide Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans -- with more than 2,000 people from across the country having been invited to discuss U.S.-led peace efforts.      President Ashraf Ghani’s Special Envoy Omar Daudzai said on April 28 that the Loya Jirga will provide the ground for "intra-Afghan talks" with the Taliban.       Several high-ranking officials, including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, have refused to participate in the four-day gathering. Abdullah boycotted the Loya Jirga on the grounds that his team had not been consulted prior to the decision to hold the assembly.       Daudzai said negotiations are under way to convince Abdullah and others to attend the Loya Jirga, which would lay out the government's negotiating position for future talks with the Taliban.       On April 27, Ghani held a meeting with Khalilzad, who is trying to find a peaceful resolution to the 17-year war.       "Both sides once again emphasized an intra-Afghan dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, led by the Afghan government," Ghani’s office said in a statement.        The comments came a day after the United States, Russia, and China said in a joint statement that they have agreed on the goal of withdrawing foreign forces from Afghanistan and to seek an "inclusive Afghan-led" peace process.       Khalilzad has been engaged in a series of talks with the Taliban in Qatar as he looks to bring the extremist group into peace negotiations with the government in Kabul.       Taliban negotiators have so far refused to negotiate with the government, calling it a puppet of the West, and have insisted on the withdrawal of foreign forces before talks with Kabul can begin.       Khalilzad is on a multination tour of the region and is scheduled to visit Qatar -- the usual site for negotiations with representatives of the Taliban militants.       The U.S. envoy said Washington wants "to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy," Khalilzad said.


rferl--2019-06-27--Afghan President Travels To Pakistan For Talks On Peace With Taliban

Afghanistan’s president has held talks with Pakistan’s prime minister as momentum builds for peace talks with the Taliban that are aimed at ending Afghanistan's decades of war and conflict.      Ashraf Ghani’s June 27 meeting with Imran Khan came as the Afghan leader started a two-day trip to Pakistan, his first since elections that brought Khan to power last year.      In addition to the Taliban peace negotiations, Ghani’s visit is also seen as an attempt to improve the often-strained relationship between the two neighbors.      According to a statement released by Khan’s office, the two leaders "agreed to open a new chapter of friendship and cooperation…based on mutual trust and harmony for the benefit of the two peoples and countries and for advancing the cause of peace, stability and prosperity in the region."      Earlier, Ghani met with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi where he "praised Pakistan's role in the peace process," according to a Foreign Ministry statement.      Pakistan has facilitated ongoing peace negotiations between Washington and the Taliban, with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad trying to find a negotiated exit to the 17-year war in Afghanistan.      Ghani’s visit comes a week after dozens of Afghan political leaders attended a peace gathering in Pakistan.      The Taliban has refused to talk directly with Kabul government representatives, calling them U.S. puppets.      Khalilzad, meanwhile, traveled to Tajikistan for talks with Tajik officials on the Afghan peace push.      Khalilzad has held six rounds of talks with the Taliban in the Qatari capital, Doha. The next round is scheduled to begin on June 29.      The talks are expected to focus on working out a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and on a Taliban guarantee that militants will not plot attacks from Afghan soil.


rferl--2019-08-05--Khalilzad Hails Excellent Progress In Peace Talks With Taliban

Khalilzad Hails 'Excellent Progress” In Peace Talks With Taliban

U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad says he will leave Qatar for India on August 5 following three days of talks with the Taliban to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan.      Khalilzad tweeted that the eighth round of talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators in the Qatari capital, Doha, “focused on the remaining issues in completing a potential deal with the Taliban that would allow for a conditions-based troop withdrawal.”      “We have made excellent progress,” he wrote.        The U.S. envoy said in a separate tweet that he will travel to New Delhi later in the day for “pre-scheduled meetings to further build international consensus” in support of the Afghan peace process.  Khalilzad also said that his team will continue to discuss with Taliban representatives “technical details as well as steps and mechanisms required for a [successful] implementation of the four-part agreement” the sides have been working toward since his appointment last year.  A bilateral U.S.-Taliban agreement would cover the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees by the Taliban not to harbor terrorist groups.      Such a deal would be followed by intra-Afghan peace negotiations on a political settlement and a permanent cease-fire.      The Taliban has said it will only negotiate with the Western-backed Kabul government when Washington commits to withdrawing its troops.