US Afghanistan envoy proposes shake-up of Afghan peace process: Report

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has proposed a shake up of peace process in the country including, interim government and conference of key players, say reports. However, his plans have faced objections, said Reuters quoting sources. 

Afghan-born U.S. diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad is on a visit to Kabul, Doha and other regional capitals, his first since U.S. President Joe Biden's administration began reviewing its options for the peace process and as time runs out before a May 1 U.S. troop withdrawal deadline.

As per reports, Khalilzad is trying to build consensus around alternative options with all Afghan sides and key regional players as peace negotiations in Doha is making little progress and violence in Afghanistan is escalating

"(The United States) thinks Doha isn't working and needs impetus and an alternate approach," Reuters quoted a source as saying.

In Kabul, Khalilzad met Abdullah Abdullah, the chief peace envoy, President Ashraf Ghani and other political and civil society leaders, including former President Hamid Karzai.

Three diplomatic sources, two sources on the teams of political leaders who met with Khalilzad and two international sources in Kabul said one of the envoy's main proposals was an interim government arrangement, referred to as a participatory or representative government.

A former Afghan government official familiar with the matter said Khalilzad shared a document detailing the power-sharing proposal and that it revised a paper he circulated in December.

Another proposal was a meeting with a similar format to the 2001 Bonn conference, to involve representatives from a wide range of Afghan parties meeting in person while international agencies and diplomats push them to a solution.

Anti-Taliban leaders met under international auspices in the German city of Bonn after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion ousted the insurgents from power and agreed on a provisional administration and a roadmap for forming a permanent government and writing a new constitution.

 "We're considering a number of different ideas that might accelerate the process," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Friday.

"The United States is not making any formal proposals and is continuing to review all relevant options for future force posture - and all means all," a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday. "Ambassador Khalilzad has discussed a range of ways to move the diplomacy forward, nothing more."

(With Reuters inputs)