US hopes to get Taliban peace talks 'back on track

The United States is still hoping to have peace talks with the Taliban and Afghan officials but is not sure it will be possible, a U.S. State Department spokesman said on Monday.

Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said at a media briefing that there have been hopeful signs for the talks.

"We want to see if we can get it back on track," he said. "We don't know whether that's possible."

A new date for discussions has not yet been set and James Dobbins, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has not met with Taliban representatives, Ventrell said.

The comments come as U.S. official continue to press the Taliban to revive the peace effort, which was set to begin last with preliminary discussion but was stalled amid objections from the Afghan government.

The main goal is to get Afghans talking to other Afghans, although the U.S. had been open to meeting with the Taliban, Ventrell said.

"We're still open to having that meeting," he told reporters, adding that Afghan and Taliban representatives could met first if they wanted.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on the Taliban to revive the effort to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war.

The fundamentalist Islamic group was pushed out of power in Afghanistan by the U.S. invasion that followed the al Qaeda attacks on U.S. targets on September 11, 2001. It has since led an insurgency to overthrow the Afghan government and oust foreign troops.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/24/uk-afghanistan-taliban-idUKBRE95N15K20130624

Reply 1

The Mad Dog

Mexico hopes for talks can happen as soon as possible and a diplomatic solution is reached between both sides so that the war in Afghanistan can finally be brought to an end.

Reply 2

cl_steele

Russia does find this amusing, you oust the taliban go to war with them for a decade and now want to reinstall them?

Reply 3

Vionar

The Netherlands would like to repeat the sentiments of Mexico, however, the Russian representative does have a point; what was the point in the 12 year long war if you're going to hold talks, was that not something that could have been done a little earlier...maybe 12 years ago?

Reply 4

PierceBrosnan

The Swiss Confederation understands the above sentiments in that negotiations with the Taliban should have occurred years ago, however we Swiss are glad that negotiations are finally occuring now.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is indeed skeptical of what negotiations of the Taliban will achieve, however we place our trust in the USA to achieve beneficial results internationally.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

Cheese_Monster

The Republic of India would like to see an era of peace in the Middle East but it cannot agree with the efficacy of this attempt at a détente. Allied forces have spent twelve years fighting Taliban insurgents but now they wish to give them a political presence? India reminds other member states that the Taliban are not a liberal democratic political party, they are a grouping that represent extreme Jihadism, they are splinter of Al-Qaeda and thus they believe in the repression of women in education and home life and the destruction of Western insignia. India does not believe America is so foolish as to believe any peace talks with a self-destructive organisations would lead to 'peace', it would surely lead to a reversion back to the old times. Something that India does not wish to see so close to its borders.

Reply 6

meenu89

South Korea fully agrees with the comments of the Swiss Confederation.

Reply 7

Fool In The Rain

Iceland is in agreement with the comments made by the Swiss Confederation.

Reply 8

Kiss

Original post by cl_steele

Russia does find this amusing, you oust the taliban go to war with them for a decade and now want to reinstall them?

The US rebuts this approach on the basis of two reasons:

Firstly, our government has changed since then due to the previous presidency holding more aggressive expansionist views which our current house does not agree with.

Secondly, as such with any change, we believe that we are not confined to remaining hostile. We do not want war, we want peace. If it is a crime to want to change ourselves for the better and remain hateful to those we fight then peace can never be achieved.

Reply 9

Cheese_Monster

Original post by Kiss

India asks the representative to the US if he notes that 'peace' may come at the cost of long-term stability in Afghanistan?

Reply 10

Wawasan

Malaysia is encouraged by signs to end this ongoing conflict, despite the heavy delay that has taken place in order to instigate these talks.

Reply 11

JD95

Libya would like to congratulate the US on its persistence with the idea of getting the Taliban on board in Afghanistan. We wish them luck in continuing with this endeavour.