Asia

Afghan grand council sets recommendations for Taliban talks

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaks during the first day of the Loya Jirga, or the consultative council in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 29, 2019. Afghanistan's president opened a grand council on Monday of more than 3,200 prominent Afghans seeking to agree on a common approach to peace talks with the Taliban, but the gathering may further aggravate divisions within the U.S.-backed government. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A delegate poses for a selfie photo backdropped by a sign written in Persian "Good consultation, peace with dignity", while attending the first day of the Afghan Loya Jirga meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 29, 2019. Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani opened the Loya Jirga grand council on Monday with more than 3,200 prominent Afghans attending to seek an agreed common approach for future peace talks with the Taliban, but the gathering may further aggravate divisions within the U.S.-backed government. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan grand council has come up with a series of recommendations for peace talks with the Taliban after four days of meetings in Kabul.

President Ashraf Ghani convened the council of more than 3,200 participants, known as Loya Jirga, to hammer out a common strategy. The gathering ends on Friday.

The participants, divided into dozens of committees, discussed several issues, including a cease-fire in the 17-year war, and women's rights in keeping with the tenets of Islam.

Also this week, the Taliban and U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad embarked on another round of talks in Qatar, where the insurgents maintain a political office.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marudi met Khalilzad in Doha on Wednesday, after meeting the Taliban chief negotiator, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the day earlier.