Foreign delegations meet in Afghanistan

REUTERS, 06th JUNE, 2017- Afghan leaders met officials of two dozen foreign governments and institutions on Tuesday, launching a so-called Kabul Process aiming to set the stage for peace talks and clinch an international pact to end “cross-border terrorism”.

After a week of violence that included the deadliest ever attack on the capital of Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani said the meeting would be more than a ceremonial effort.

But with domestic tension high, international plans in flux, and the insurgency as powerful as ever, starting any peace process may be an uphill battle.

Underscoring the volatile situation, at least one rocket struck an Indian diplomatic compound in Kabul, as the delegations met a few blocks away.

Speaking to the diplomats, Ghani said the attacks in Afghanistan were part of the violence that had struck foreign cities around the world, most recently in London, where three militants drove a van into pedestrians on Saturday before attacking people with knives.