ISLAMABAD– United States Central Command (US CENTCOM) commander General Kenneth McKenzie Jr called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the two discussed the Afghan peace process as well as military cooperation between the two countries, Inter-Services Public Relations said Friday.
Gen McKenzie and Gen Bajwa also discussed several pressing issues, including Kashmir, the geo-strategic environment, and regional security.
Afghanistan is set to move one step closer to the end of the 19-year-old war as the months’ long-delayed peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators will begin on Saturday in Qatar.
General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr, Commander US CENTCOM, called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Geo-strategic environment, regional security, Pak – US military cooperation including #Afghanistan Peace Process and #Kashmir situation discussed. pic.twitter.com/BWrhxtJs7B
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) September 11, 2020
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Doha for the opening of the US-backed negotiations.
The talks had originally been slated to start in March but were repeatedly pushed back amid disputes over a prisoner exchange that included the release of hundreds of battle-hardened Taliban fighters.
