Video Chat With the Taliban Keeps Afghan Peace Deal on Life Support
Video Chat With the Taliban Keeps Afghan Peace Deal on Life Support by Mujib Mashal – New York Times
KABUL, Afghanistan – Balancing coronavirus concerns with fears that a painstakingly negotiated peace deal could fall apart, Afghan government officials met by videoconference on Sunday with Taliban delegates to discuss technical details of a prisoner release that is a part of the deal, officials said.
Though the meeting was not the formal start of direct talks between the government and the Taliban — that step is predicated on reaching agreement on the prisoner exchange — the technical discussion was the first negotiating meeting between them since the United States and the insurgents signed a deal last month.
Concerns about the global coronavirus pandemic, however, meant that the talks happened by video chat. And that in itself was a notable moment given the Taliban’s origins as a national government that largely banned television and music…
