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London conference tomorrow

Posted on: Mon January 25, 2010

ISLAMABAD: As preparations for Wednesday s London conference on Afghanistan gain momentum, authoritative voices are ensuring that a role for the Taliban in a future political set-up is ensured, as there is a full realisation now that only a military surge will not deliver at a time when the Taliban are heady with power.As negotiations continue with the Taliban, sources in Kabul say this is one reason that polls have been delayed inside Afghanistan. Recently, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, during their visits to Pakistan, had envisaged a role for reformed or good Taliban, who were willing to enter the democratic process, abide by the Afghan constitution and accept the Karzai government.Talking to The News from Dubai, a spokesman for the Foreign Office said: We would obviously want general reconciliation, so that long-term peace and stability can be ensured. This obviously requires steps in accordance with the Afghan constitution, as was demanded at the recently-held trilateral foreign ministers meeting in Islamabad. On the eve of the London conference, reports say the removal of names of some top Taliban commanders from the UN terrorist wanted list has been suggested by the senior executive of the world body, Kai Eide, to pave the way for a breakthrough in Afghanistan. If you want relevant results, then you have to talk to the relevant person in authority, Eide, the top UN official in Afghanistan, said.

Courtesy : The News