Afghanistan agrees to talks

The government of Afghanistan yesterday gave its blessing to talks between Taliban insurgents and the US, and also to the opening of an office for the Islamists in Qatar.

I think this is very positive news for peace and stability in Afghanistan

The hardline Taliban announced on Tuesday that they had come to an “initial agreement with relevant sides including Qatar” to set up their first representative office outside Afghanistan.

The move is seen as a precursor to talks to end the bloody war between the Taliban and the US-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

“Afghanistan, to save the country from war, conspiracies, the killing of innocent people and to reach peace, agrees with the negotiations between US and Taliban that will end up in creating an office for Taliban in Qatar,” the government said in a statement.

Kabul “considers negotiations the only way to reach peace and end the war and violence that have been imposed on our people”, the statement said.

It added that the acceptance of the Taliban-US negotiations aimed to “save our country and people from foreigners’ pretexts and servants who are used to continue war in Afghanistan”.

A government source who did not want to be named said this was a reference to Pakistan, which Mr Karzai has in the past accused of undermining all negotiations with the Taliban.

In Pakistan, a senior government official said in response to the Taliban statement: “Afghanistan is a sovereign country and Pakistan will support any move which can bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.

“We are very clear that any peace initiative should be Afghan-led and Afghan owned”.

Analysts hailed the move to open an office abroad as a step back from the Taliban’s previous refusal to negotiate until all foreign troops have left Afghan soil.

“I think this is very positive news for the peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Giran Hiwad, of the Kabul-based think-tank known as the Afghanistan Analysts Network.