'Saudi Arabia helping with secret Taliban peace talks'
Sunday, 28 Sep 2008 10:47
The paper claims that senior officials in the Afghan government are conducting talks with the rebel group
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Saudi Arabia is helping arrange secret peace negotiations with the Taliban aimed at reducing violence in Afghanistan, according to newspaper reports.
The Observer reports that the British and Afghan governments had held talks with the rebel group, that was deposed from power in the 2001 invasion, in
Pakistan's city of Quetta, which involved a list of demands from both sides.
Discussions, with logistic and diplomatic support provided by Britain, are said to be taking place with district-level Taliban officials and Afghan president Hamid Karzai is also aware of the negotiations, it is thought.
The report adds that the insurgent group had submitted an 11-point list of demands reportedly including the running of key ministries and the withdrawal of foreign troops.
It cites an Afghan government official as saying that the Taliban kept on revising their lists of demands which meant it was difficult to conclude a deal.
A Foreign Office spokesman told the Observer he had no knowledge of the Saudi initiative but stated that the British government supported the Afghan state's policy of reconciliation.