Government sets term for opening Taliban office in Qatar
03 January, 2013
KABUL: Setting condition for opening Taliban office in Qattar, Afghan government said the office should be opened only after Taliban agree to talks with government. The government fully back all kind of negotiations with armed opposition, however, it must be Afghan owned, Dr. Zalmay Rassoul, Afghan foreign minister, told Wolesi Jirga—lower house of parliament—Wednesday . "Taliban sys they do not hold talks with government. Then with whom? Unless and until they officially announce to set on negotiating table with Afghan government, the office would not be opened. There exists a threat if the office is opened without it. Unfortunately, we witnessed that holding talks with all and sundry created problems," he said. Zalmay Rassoul expressed pleasure over the release of Taliban prisoners by Pakistan, saying the move would strengthen peace efforts. Pakistan released the Taliban leaders on the request of Afghan government and it is hoped that more Taliban detainees would also be released, he said. He said the peace talks should be held in Afghanistan. Political analysts are of the opinion that the new condition set by the Afghan government would affect peace efforts. It appears that the decision would hurdle the peace efforts, said Waheed Muzda, a political analysts who also served in foreign ministry during the Taliban regime. "The ongoing peace efforts are in initial and very sensitive stage. Therefore, no conditions should be set. Such terms would stop the peace talks. Though Taliban say they would not set on negotiating table with government, they will compel to do so as it is a government recognized by the international community," he observed. The peace efforts intensified recently and the people hoped that the Afghanistan issue would be resolved before the withdrawal of foreign forces. Though the government do not considers the Paris conference as beneficial, the foreign minister told the Wolesi Jirga that conference showed Taliban also wanted a political solution to the Afghanistan problem. Taliban repeatedly rejected Afghan government's talks offer, saying the government was powerless and holding talks with them was only waste of time. End.
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