The U.S. State Department indicated that “it is time to focus not on electoral politics [in Afghanistan], but on taking steps toward a lasting peace, ending the war with the Taliban and finding a formula for a political settlement that can serve the interests of all of this country’s citizens through intra-Afghan negotiations we expect will begin in March”. It further called on “all parties to participate in and support the immediate establishment of an agreed national framework for peace that is fully representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to prepare for and lead these negotiations. To ensure adequate time for Afghans to agree on these matters, we thank the Afghan government for agreeing to postpone the presidential inauguration”.