Afghan gov't to push for peace with Taliban amid increasing militancy
English.news.cn 2011-12-21 21:03:58
by Abdul Haleem, Xinhua
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KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- In spite of Taliban-led increasing militancy and attacks on government interests, the Afghan government is determined to pursue peace efforts with the Taliban outfit, local media on Wednesday quoted Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin as saying.
"We believe the process may benefit from the establishment of an office, within or outside Afghanistan, whereby formal talks between relevant Afghan authorities and representatives of the armed opposition, including the Taliban could be facilitated," the English Daily Outlook Afghanistan quoted Ludin as reporting on Wednesday.
The Afghan diplomat, according to the newspaper, during a debate at the United Nations Security Council on Monday also appealed the international community to help boost talks with the Taliban and other armed outfits.
Making appeal by Afghan ranking diplomat for international community's support to facilitate dialogue between government and Taliban is taking place just days after reported opening of Taliban office in Qatar.
Following the surfacing report of opening Taliban office in Qatar, the Afghan government, according to local media, had recalled its ambassador to Qatar for consultation.
Earlier, Afghan Minister for Foreign Affairs Zalmai Rasoul said that the government would not oppose if Taliban open office for negotiation either inside the country Afghanistan or abroad.
"Our priority is that such office should be inside Afghanistan or in another Islamic country preferably Saudi Arabia or Turkey," Rasoul told a questionnaire during a press briefing on Dec. 18.
He also rejected the reported opening of Taliban office in Qatar, saying any office opened for dialogue with Taliban should be opened in consultation with the government of Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Afghan presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi, according to local media reports, has also said that "the government accepts wherever the Taliban open their office as our main goal is peace through talks with the opposition group."
The government of Afghanistan has suspended peace talks with the Taliban outfit after the assassination of Afghan peace chief negotiator Burhanudin Rabbani by an alleged Taliban fighter on Sept. 20 this year.
Meantime, a former Taliban official and member of the government-backed peace body, the High Council for Peace, Mawlawi Arsala Rahmani said days ago that the Taliban are willing to open office in an Islamic country to hold face-to-face peace talks with Afghan government.
Taliban militants fighting Afghan government and have conditioned any talks with the pull out of NATO-led forces from Afghanistan have yet to make comment on opening office in Qatar or any other country.
English.news.cn 2011-12-21 21:03:58
by Abdul Haleem, Xinhua
=================================================
KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- In spite of Taliban-led increasing militancy and attacks on government interests, the Afghan government is determined to pursue peace efforts with the Taliban outfit, local media on Wednesday quoted Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin as saying.
"We believe the process may benefit from the establishment of an office, within or outside Afghanistan, whereby formal talks between relevant Afghan authorities and representatives of the armed opposition, including the Taliban could be facilitated," the English Daily Outlook Afghanistan quoted Ludin as reporting on Wednesday.
The Afghan diplomat, according to the newspaper, during a debate at the United Nations Security Council on Monday also appealed the international community to help boost talks with the Taliban and other armed outfits.
Making appeal by Afghan ranking diplomat for international community's support to facilitate dialogue between government and Taliban is taking place just days after reported opening of Taliban office in Qatar.
Following the surfacing report of opening Taliban office in Qatar, the Afghan government, according to local media, had recalled its ambassador to Qatar for consultation.
Earlier, Afghan Minister for Foreign Affairs Zalmai Rasoul said that the government would not oppose if Taliban open office for negotiation either inside the country Afghanistan or abroad.
"Our priority is that such office should be inside Afghanistan or in another Islamic country preferably Saudi Arabia or Turkey," Rasoul told a questionnaire during a press briefing on Dec. 18.
He also rejected the reported opening of Taliban office in Qatar, saying any office opened for dialogue with Taliban should be opened in consultation with the government of Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Afghan presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi, according to local media reports, has also said that "the government accepts wherever the Taliban open their office as our main goal is peace through talks with the opposition group."
The government of Afghanistan has suspended peace talks with the Taliban outfit after the assassination of Afghan peace chief negotiator Burhanudin Rabbani by an alleged Taliban fighter on Sept. 20 this year.
Meantime, a former Taliban official and member of the government-backed peace body, the High Council for Peace, Mawlawi Arsala Rahmani said days ago that the Taliban are willing to open office in an Islamic country to hold face-to-face peace talks with Afghan government.
Taliban militants fighting Afghan government and have conditioned any talks with the pull out of NATO-led forces from Afghanistan have yet to make comment on opening office in Qatar or any other country.
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