Khalilzad meets India envoy to US Shringla ahead of another Afghan peace mission

US special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Friday held talks with India Ambassador to US Harsh Vardhan Shringla on the Afghan peace process to end two decades of insurgency in the war-torn country.

Khalilzad, who recently concluded seven-round of talks with the Taliban, indicated the launch of "another mission" to make further progress.

He also met Germany Ambassador to US Emily Haber and Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov of Uzbekistan.

"In addition to briefing management while in DC, I had the opportunity to consult w/ Amb Haber of #Germany, Amb Shringla of #India & Foreign Minister Kamilov of #Uzbekistan on the #AfghanPeaceProcess. Getting ready to launch on another mission in hope of making further progress," tweeted Khalilzad.

Recently, Khalilzad concluded the seven-round of talks with the Taliban in Doha. He termed the last round of talks "most productive".

An earlier round of intra-Afghan talks, which were to be held in April, was called off after the Taliban did not agree on the list of Kabul officials who were supposed to attend the peace talks.

Khalilzad has held scores of talks with the Afghan government in Kabul and abroad, with the Taliban and neighbour Pakistan.

The Taliban have consistently refused to hold direct talks with President Ashraf Ghani's government calling it a puppet administration. They have, however, readily agreed to talks with any Afghan, including from within the government, but as an ordinary Afghan.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who has been conspicuously quiet about the upcoming intra-Afghan dialogue, has consistently demanded Taliban talk directly with the government.