The New York Times 01/04/12
Taliban to Open Qatar Office and Possibly a Door to Talks
Giving a first major public sign that they may be ready for formal talks with the American-led coalition in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced Tuesday that they had struck a deal to open a political office in Qatar that could allow for direct negotiations over the endgame in the Afghan war
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The step was a reversal of the Taliban’s longstanding public denials that they were involved in or consider talks. These talks stalled in September with eh assassination of the head of the Afghanistan’s High Peace Council
Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban said that along with the preliminary deal to set up the office in Qatar, the group was asking that Taliban detainees held at the American prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to be released. “We are at the moment besides our powerful presence inside the country, ready to establish a political office outside the country to come to an understanding with other nations”.
American officials have said in recent months that the opening of a Taliban mission would be the single biggest step forward for peace efforts. The opening of an office in Qatar is meant to give Afghan and Western peace negotiators an “address” where they can openly contact legitimate Taliban intermediaries.
Tuesday three suicide bombings in the southern city of Kandahar, where the Taliban rose to prominence in the 1990, which killed thirteen people including a child and four police officers was a reminder to the Afghan people of the violence that has plagued their country.
Common Sense Review
Opening an office doesn’t equal peaceful intent. This is ridiculous and that point is proven with that triple bombing. The Afghan and American official cannot be fooled by this false act of peace.
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