Afghanistan talking to Taliban in Pakistan

Beijing Bulletin Wednesday 22nd February, 2012

KABUL - Talks between Afghan officials and Taliban are underway in Pakistan, a top member of a peace council has said in an indication that Islamabad government is backing the peace move.

Ata Mohammad Ahmadi, who heads the regional peace council in Kandahar, told Reuters wire service that Afghan officials have been meeting with a Taliban commander in Pakistani city of Quetta.

"In the last 10 days, our peace council delegation have gone to Quetta three times in twos and threes," Ahmadi said.

Quetta is a place where the Taliban leadership is said to be based.

The report comes as Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a TV interview also said his government was talking to Taliban "everyday" but indirectly.

"We talk to the Taliban every day. We were talking to them just a few days ago," Karzai told Australia's SBS television.

He also urged Pakistan to facilitate negotiations towards ending Afghanistan war, which has been raging on over a decade.

"I hereby request our brotherly government of Pakistan to support and facilitate our direct negotiation efforts as part of the peace process."

Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan soured after the killing of Afghan peace envoy and former president Burhanuddin Rabbani in September last year.

Afghanistan blamed Pakistan's spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). But Islamabad denied the allegations.

Karzai stressed that peace talks with Taliban were key to regional stability and bringing peace as well to Pakistan.

"It's no longer Afghanistan that's the subject of conversation, or the issue. It's Pakistan as well. It's peace in Pakistan as well. It's stability in Pakistan as well," he said.