Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 May 2020 to Question 41027 on Taliban: Peace Negotiations, what discussions he had with his French counterpart on the formation of the US negotiating position in the US-Taliban peace negotiations.

We engaged intensively with the United States, Afghan Government and our NATO allies and partners in the run-up to and throughout the bilateral talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha. The US-Taliban agreement was a positive step, but it was also the first step in a long and difficult road towards peace. Our UK diplomatic commitment is helping push towards a sustainable and inclusive peace process, the only route to lasting peace and security in Afghanistan.