U.S. envoy to Afghanistan to brief counterparts on peace effort

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will meet with Chinese, Russian and European Union diplomats on Afghanistan on Thursday as he tries to forge a peace deal with the Taliban to bring an end to America's longest war. "Discussion topics include international support for the Afghan peace process, the role each party can play in bringing an end to the war, and progress to date in peace talks," the State Department said in a statement. The meeting at the State Department will include Zamir Kabulov, Russia's presidential envoy to Afghanistan; Deng Xijun, his Chinese counterpart; and Roland Kobia, the EU's special envoy. Khalilzad will brief them on his recent talks in Doha, Qatar, with the Taliban, where the United States reported progress but no final deal on a withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces. The Taliban rejects direct negotiations with the Kabul government led by President Ashraf Ghani, accusing it of being a U.S. puppet. U.S. negotiators are pressing the Taliban to accept a ceasefire and talks on Afghanistan's political future with representatives of Afghan society, including Ghani's government. But the talks have primarily focused on the Taliban's counter-terrorism assurances and a U.S. troop withdrawal. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Leslie Adler)