US envoy wraps up visit to Pakistan as Afghan’s govt hardens stance on Taliban talks

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is trying to resume peace talks on ending Afghanistan’s 18-year war, has wrapped up his visit to Pakistan. The US Embassy said on Wednesday that Khalilzad had discussed the “Afghan peace process” with Pakistan’s top officials.

This comes after the Afghan government set new conditions for talks with the insurgents and appeared to shed a previously conciliatory stance toward Pakistan, AP reported.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s security adviser Hamdullah Mohib said on Tuesday that Kabul wants Pakistan not to incite the conflict in Afghanistan and aid the Taliban. He also stated Kabul insists on a one-month ceasefire as a precondition for talks with the Taliban.

Khalilzad’s next destination was not immediately known.