Afghanistan's president, US secretary of defense meet in Kabul

KABUL - Afghanistan's President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and visiting US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin exchanged views on peace talks with the Taliban, the office of the president said on Sunday.

The two sides expressed concerns over continued violence in Afghanistan and emphasized that the fundamental solution to the "current situation in Afghanistan is to achieve a just and lasting peace", it said in a statement.

Austin, who arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul earlier in Sunday, was quoted in the statement as saying that the US was ready to cooperate with Afghanistan to achieve peace and stability in the country.

Ghani said during the meeting that there is a consensus at all levels inside Afghanistan for peace process, and the Afghan government will make full use of the consensus and the opportunities that have arisen to bring about peace, according to the statement.