Thomas West Meets Afghan Politicians, Civil Society in Istanbul

[Valin]

Tolo News

Shirshah Rasooli,

30 MAY 2022

Turkey.

Some of the politicians who met with West said that overcoming the current Afghan crisis and the formation of an inclusive government were the main focus of the talks.

“The proposal of the High Council of Resistance and Rescue of Afghanistan and politicians was to continue the Doha negotiation, reach a political path, an interim government, and an election,” said Iqbal Safi, a former member of the parliament.

The Islamic Emirate said the commission of “Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures," will address the concerns of Afghans abroad.

“The Commission of Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures was established for this purpose, to consider the problems of those who have concerns and compel them to return to the country,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.

The US special envoy has yet to make any comment about the meetings with the Afghan politicians, journalists and women's rights activists.

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Thomas West Bio[/b]

West served for ten years in the U.S. Department of State and at the White House, working on South Asia and Middle East issues. From 2012 to 2015, he served on the National Security Council (NSC) as director for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as a special adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden. He served a concurrent stint as the NSC’s director for Yemen. From 2011 to 2012, West served as the State Department’s senior diplomat in the Kunar province of Afghanistan, where he managed the civilian staff of a U.S.-led provincial reconstruction team. He worked at the State Department in Washington on a variety of issues, including the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Initiative, Washington’s response to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and U.S.-Pakistan relations. He also served as a political officer in Islamabad and Karachi.