KABUL, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken exchanged views Thursday on the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the war on terrorism, the office of the Afghan president confirmed.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, right, meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their delegations, at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, April 15, 2021. (Photo: AP)
The meeting came one day after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that Washington would end its longest war by starting to pull out troops from Afghanistan on May 1 and would complete the process by Sept. 11 this year.
Ghani told Blinken that Afghanistan respects the U.S. president's recent decision to draw down U.S. troops, adding the Afghan government will ensure a smooth transition, according to the statement.
The Afghan leader was quoted in the statement as saying that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were capable enough to defend their country and ensure security across Afghanistan.
The top U.S. diplomat said the United State will continue to provide diplomatic and humanitarian support to Afghanistan and its security and defense forces even after the full withdrawal of its forces.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed to continue negotiation to advance the transition and the start of a new chapter in their bilateral cooperation.
