Afghan National Army (ANA) prepare for an operation against insurgents in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Parwiz
James Mackenzie, Hamid Shalizi, Reuters: Could Taliban finally return to Afghan peace talks? Obstacles abound
KABUL (Reuters) - Exploratory meetings in Pakistan between a high-level Taliban delegation and a representative of a prominent Afghan politician have fueled speculation of a revival of long-stalled talks on ending Afghanistan’s 16-year war that kills thousands each year.
Similar hopes have repeatedly been dashed since the first direct talks between the Western-backed Afghan government and the Taliban broke down almost as soon as they began in the Pakistani hill station of Murree, outside Islamabad, in 2015.
But U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s remarks this week that talks were closer than ever - coming after Monday’s unofficial meeting in Islamabad - have renewed interest in a process that had seemed completely stalled.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 19, 2018
American Illusions and Korean Realities: Preventing Conflict on the Korean Peninsula -- Stephen J. Blank, 38 North
The Taiwan Strait After a Second Korean War -- Eric Chan & Peter Loftus, The Diplomat
Israel dismisses Abbas' threats to end security coordination -- Shlomi Eldar, Al-Monitor
Be Careful What You Wish For: A 'Persian Spring' Would Be a Disaster -- Gawdat Bahgat, National Interest
The Way Forward For the United States in Syria -- Rex Tillerson, Department of State
Ahead of elections, Pakistan heads toward more political chaos -- Shamil Shams, DW
Zimbabwe's Silent Revolution: Public Wi-Fi -- Tatira Zwinoira, OZY
A New Peace Effort Is Needed in East Ukraine -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg
In 2018, Chavismo’s Time May Finally Run Out -- José R. Cárdenas, Foreign Policy
Barring Major Reforms, Venezuela's Oil Industry Is Finished -- Robert Rapier, Forbes
It Won't Be Business as Usual in Chile -- Laurence Blair, World Politics Review
One way or another, bitcoin will be crushed by the authorities -- Hamish MacRae, The Independent
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