U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad Tuesday for talks focusing on Pakistan's possible help for a political solution to the Afghan conflict, Pakistani officials said.

Khalilzad started Pakistan's visit a day after the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he has received a letter from the U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he has sought Pakistan's support in negotiated settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan.

The U.S State Department said earlier Khalilzad will be traveling to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar with an interagency delegation on Dec. 2-20.

Khalilzad held three-day talks with the Taliban political representatives in Qatar last month and more discussions are expected during his current trip to Qatar.

A Pakistani official said that Khalilzad is likely to brief the Pakistani officials about his talks with the Taliban and explore ways for joint efforts to encourage the Taliban join intra-Afghan dialogue. The U.S. envoy will meet senior officials at the foreign ministry later on Tuesday.

Taliban are reluctant to hold talks with the Afghan government on the plea that they do not consider it a party to the conflict and insists on direct negotiations with the United States to end foreign invasion.

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