Pakistan, Afghanistan to establish contact with Taliban

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to establish contacts with Taliban
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 10-29-2008 09:43
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to establish contacts with Taliban militants through the mediation of tribal leaders.

The decision came after two days of talks on how to end surging militant violence in both countries.

Violence has intensified in Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent months, and has strained ties between the two neighbors.

Kabul has complained that Islamabad has not done enough to stop Taliban militants infiltrating from sanctuaries located in Pakistan's northwestern ethnic Pashtun areas.

Pashtun tribal elders and politicians from the two countries held a traditional council meeting, or mini-jirga, in Islamabad to follow up on a grand assembly in Kabul last year, in which delegates called for talks with the Taliban.

This time, they said they would try to open contacts with the militants.
Abdullah Abdullah, Head of Afghan Jirga Council, said, "We agreed that contacts should established with the opposition in both sides, joint contacts through jirga-gae. Apart from whatever else is happening in that regard, joint contacts will be established through jirga-gae by using other influential figures to the opposition groups in both countries."

The Pakistani side named the Taliban among the opposition groups.

Owais Ghani, Head of Pakistan Jirga Delegation, said, "It includes all those who are involved in the conflict situation."

But the Taliban has swiftly rejected the call for dialogue, calling it worthless.

They say they will not hold any dialogue while foreign troops commanded by the Americans are still in their country.

Even before the mini-jirga, some critics have already questioned its efficacy. They say it could accomplish little without the Taliban's participation.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Pakistan
• Afghanistan
• Taliban

[AntiDefm]

This is a major change toward Taliban.