[ti:Taliban's "Reduction of Violence" Deal With U.S. Begins Friday]
[al:As It Is]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2020-02-22]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]A seven-day "reduction of violence" agreement between the United States and the Taliban group in Afghanistan begins on Friday.
[00:13.76]A top U.S. State Department official said that, by the end of the month, the Taliban and the United States will sign a peace agreement.
[00:25.71]The two sides plan to sign that peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, this month. 
[00:32.89]If the "reduction of violence" is successful, the plan will make it possible for the U.S. to withdraw its troops from the country in time.
[00:44.56]U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement, "We are preparing for the signing to take place on February 29."
[00:56.13]He added that intra-Afghan negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan political leaders, will start soon after that. 
[01:06.86]The goal of those talks will be a permanent ceasefire.
[01:11.72]But the path to that goal is not clear.
[01:16.45]It is still not known who will represent the Afghan government in the talks with the Taliban.
[01:24.02]An agreement between the parties is necessary if there is to be a lasting peace in the country. 
[01:33.09]The Afghan election commission earlier this week declared President Ashraf Ghani the winner of the presidential election held in September. 
[01:44.09]However, his opponents quickly protested his victory.
[01:49.58]The Taliban also has refused to talk to Ghani's government and protested the election results.
[01:58.47]The group said that it will talk to government representatives but only as ordinary Afghans.
[02:06.14]The Taliban released their own statement on the reduction of violence deal.
[02:13.16]The agreement involves an exchange of prisoners, planning for the intra-Afghan talks and preparations for all foreign forces to leave the country among other things.
[02:29.38]The Taliban also said that the group will not permit "the land of Afghanistan to be used against security of others so that our people can live a peaceful and prosperous life under the shade of an Islamic system."
[02:47.08]The terms of the reduction in violence agreement include a seven-day ceasefire. 
[02:54.65]The ceasefire bans roadside bombings, suicide attacks or rocket strikes. 
[03:02.06]Five thousand Taliban prisoners are to be released from Afghan jails.
[03:09.67]U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said that if the seven-day ceasefire is successful, and the Afghan peace talks begin, the U.S. would reduce its troops "over time" to about 8,600.
[03:28.23]There currently are about 12,000 U.S. troops in the country.
[03:32.90]In Brussels, Belgium, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the developments. 
[03:41.43]About 16,000 NATO troops are in Afghanistan.
[03:46.06]They are helping to train the country's security forces. 
[03:51.08]The U.S.-led military alliance could reduce its operations to go along with a peace agreement.
[03:59.63]"This is a critical test of the Taliban's willingness and ability to reduce violence, and contribute to peace in good faith," Stoltenberg said in a statement.
[04:13.19]"This could pave the way for negotiations among Afghans, sustainable peace, and ensuring the country is never again a safe haven for terrorists."
[04:27.29]I'm Jill Robbins.
