About: Afghanistan
Violence against civilians surges in Afghanistan after peace talks: UN report
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan escalated sharply after peace talks began last year, the United Nations said in a report released on Tuesday (23 February), calling for a ceasefire as negotiators met for the first time after weeks of inaction.
Half of Afghans need humanitarian aid as violence rises: EU commissioner
Half of Afghans need humanitarian aid but rising violence is preventing deliveries, a senior European Union humanitarian official said on Wednesday (3 February), reiterating calls for a ceasefire between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban.
Russia, US extend arms pact, Kremlin says, as Biden, Putin talk
Russia and the United States have struck a deal to extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty, the Kremlin said, a move that preserves the last major pact of its kind between the world's two biggest nuclear powers.
Afghan government, Taliban announce breakthrough deal to pursue peace talks
Afghan government and Taliban representatives said on Wednesday (2 December) they had reached a preliminary deal to press on with peace talks, their first written agreement in 19 years of war and welcomed by the United Nations and Washington.
Afghanistan to release 400 ‘hard-core’ Taliban prisoners in bid for peace
The Afghan government agreed on Sunday (9 August) to release 400 “hard-core” Taliban prisoners, paving the way for peace talks aimed at ending almost two decades of war.
EU voices ‘serious concern’ at US International Criminal Court sanctions
The EU’s diplomatic chief on Thursday (11 June) voiced “serious concern” at moves by President Donald Trump to sanction any International Criminal Court officials who investigate US troops. Ramping up pressure for the Hague-based court to stop its probe of...
US upbeat on Taliban peace, warns Afghan leaders
The United States voiced optimism Tuesday (25 February) about reaching an accord to end the war in Afghanistan as a partial truce held with the Taliban, warning rival leaders in the Kabul government not to scuttle the "enormous opportunity."
US special envoy discusses Taliban deal with re-elected Afghan president
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday (19 February) discussed a US deal with Taliban militants on a weeklong reduction in violence, meeting the day after Ghani was declared a winner of a disputed presidential poll.
Kazakhstan will remain ‘locomotive’ of Eurasian integration – President
Kazakhstan and Russia, which are among the founders of the EAEU, will continue to remain the “locomotives” of Eurasian integration, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday (15 February). Tokayev, who was elected last June...
Germany launches ‘Green Central Asia’ initiative
A high-level ministerial conference in Berlin launched on Tuesday (28 January) the ‘Green Central Asia’ initiative, intended to support regional integration between the five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who hosted the conference, stressed that...
EU calls for Afghanistan ceasefire as US defence secretary visits Kabul
EU officials called Sunday (21 October) for a ceasefire in Afghanistan, saying the breakdown in US-Taliban talks presented an opportunity to push for a truce, as the US defense secretary made an unexpected visit to Kabul.
Trump fires foreign policy hawk Bolton, citing strong disagreements
US President Donald Trump abruptly fired his national security adviser John Bolton amid disagreements with his hard-line aide over how to handle foreign policy challenges such as North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and Russia.
US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, close 5 bases
The United States would withdraw almost 5,000 troops from Afghanistan and close five bases within 135 days under a draft peace accord agreed with the Taliban, the chief US negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, said on Monday (2 September).
Central Asia ministerial welcomes the EU’s new strategy for the region
Gathered in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on Sunday (7 July), the Foreign Ministers of the five Central Asian countries welcomed the new EU Strategy on Central Asia recently adopted by the EU.
Trump boasts ‘economic miracle’ in State of the Union speech
President Donald Trump vowed in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday (5 February) to build a border wall, which is a source of a deep partisan divide, and said Democratic attempts at “ridiculous partisan investigations” could damage US prosperity.
Russia plays power broker as US-Taliban talks gather steam
Russia will host the Taliban and Afghan politicians opposed to President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday (5 February), Russian and Taliban sources said, promoting its role of power broker in what a US official called an attempt to “muddle” the US-backed peace process.
Defense Secretary Mattis resigns, Trump ends year in chaos
Trump’s presidency has lurched from crisis to crisis since he took office less than two years ago, but Thursday (20 December) was a landmark day of chaos that appeared to test the resolve of even senior Republican backers in Washington.
A US-Russia-China-EU summit? EU is interested
The EU is taking seriously the idea expressed recently by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for holding a four-way summit to defuse global tensions, an EU diplomat told an audience on Tuesday (4 December).
Afghan president names team for Taliban peace talks, EU to act as ‘guarantor’
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday (28 November) announced in Geneva a 12-person team for prospective peace talks with the Taliban, as his government pledged unwavering commitment to resolve the conflict despite persistent bloodshed.
Brussels ministerial paves the way to launching EU Central Asia strategy
The European Union is expected to define its strategy for Central Asia in early 2019. A preparatory meeting between the EU and the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) took place in Brussels on Friday (23 November).
Nazarbayev: Partnership in Eurasia can strengthen the world system
Exclusive: Two days ahead of the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) which will bring together heads of state and government of 51 European and Asian countries, the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev offered his comments on a wide range of issues.
Trump administration takes aim at International Criminal Court, PLO
The Trump administration on Monday (10 September) threatened tough action against the International Criminal Court should it try to prosecute Americans for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and said the PLO's office in Washington would be closed for seeking to punish Israel through the court.
EU supports Kazakh programme to educate Afghan women
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday (5 September) announced a new €2 million programme that will train and educate Afghan women in Kazakhstan.