Qatar office for Taleban signals hope of new talks

AMERICAN-LED plans to open peace talks with the Taleban appeared back on track yesterday, when the insurgents said they had agreed to open an office in the Gulf state of Qatar.

Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taleban spokesman, said they had reached a “preliminary understanding” with the relevant parties – including the government of Qatar – to open “a political office for negotiations with the international community”.

It will be the first time the Taleban have had any formal representation since their government fled Afghanistan in the face of the 2001 US-led invasion.

While a settlement is likely to take years, the announcement is a landmark in a peace process beset by false starts, fake envoys, and the assassination of Kabul’s chief negotiator last year.

Mr Mujahid, who made the announcement via e-mail, renewed the Taleban’s demand that foreign troops leave Afghanistan, but there were also signs of concessions. While he stopped short of denouncing al-Qaeda, he went some way towards meeting US demands that the Taleban renounce international terrorism.

“The occupation of the country must be ended and Afghans must be allowed to create an Islamic government of their choice that be no harm to any one,” the statement said.

He also called for America to release Taleban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.

The talks have had support of elements of the British mission as early as 2006. They gained new impetus last year as US troops began to withdraw in line with president Barack Obama’s timetable. All sides have agreed on the need for the Taleban to have a physical address and Qatar has long been the favoured location, partly because the Taleban view Qatar favourably and feel safe from Pakistan influence there.