The United States has sent special envoy on Afghanistan Mr Zalmay Khalilzad to that country for talks on security and other issues, the White House said today.
"Dr Khalilzad is going to consult with [interim leader Hamid] Karzai, senior Afghan, UN and other officials on the situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing war to root out al-Qaeda and remnants of the Taliban," a White House statement said.
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Afghanistan’s interim leader Mr Hamid] Karzai
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US National Security Council spokesman Mr Sean McCormack said he expected Dr Khalilzad to discuss the killing of Air Transport and Tourism Minister Mr Abdul Rahman earlier this month. That raised concerns over stability following the US-led overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban government.
The interim government has formed a commission led by two cabinet ministers to investigate the killing, which Mr Karzai said was plotted by senior government officials.
But Mr McCormack said Dr Khalilzad's trip had been planned before the killing and was not a direct response to it. He said Dr Khalilzad would discuss the security situation and reconstruction efforts.