Blinken, Abdullah Abdullah discuss ways to accelerate Afghan peace process

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday (local time) had a telephonic conversation with Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation to discuss ways of accelerating and supporting the peace process.

"Pleasure speaking today with the Chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation @DrabdullahCE about the Afghanistan peace process. The US supports progress toward a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Blinken wrote in a tweet.

"Today in a telephone conversation with HE @SecBlinken, the US Secretary of State, we exchanged views on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, the 2nd round of the peace talks, the US review of the situation in AFG, and ways of accelerating and supporting the peace process," Abdullah Abdullah tweeted.

Taking to Twitter to post about his call with Antony Blinken, Abdullah Abdullah thanked him and the US government for their support for Afghanistan and achieving a lasting peace.

"@SecBlinken reiterated the US continued support for expediting the efforts for achieving lasting and durable peace in Afghanistan. I thanked him, the people, and the government of the US for their support for Afghanistan and achieving lasting peace," Abdullah Abdullah wrote in a subsequent tweet.

The intra-Afghan peace negotiations began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. The talks were overshadowed by a series of disagreements and a surge in violence, including armed clashes and bomb blasts across the country.