Pakistan and China have expressed their willingness to act as guarantors for a potential peace agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. A senior Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, indicated that Pakistan is prepared to extend its role beyond facilitating the peace talks if progress is made and all parties are in agreement. The first direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, observed by representatives from Pakistan, China, and the United States, were recently held in Islamabad. These talks aim to end the conflict that has plagued Afghanistan for over a decade. A second round of discussions is anticipated to occur in China, where the Afghan government is expected to call for a ceasefire and both parties will present their demands.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking before the Antalya foreign ministers meeting in Turkey, highlighted NATO's commitment to maintaining a presence in Afghanistan beyond the end of the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in 2017. Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of the Afghan security forces in stabilizing the country and confirmed NATO's continued support. While the United States has announced its intention to end participation in the RSM by the end of 2016, NATO has yet to formalize the duration of the mission. The foreign ministers will discuss NATO's role post-RSM in Antalya, and decisions regarding the scope of the 'Enduring Partnership' with Afghanistan will be made at the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July of the following year.