News Rewritten

Taliban Preparing For Peace Talk

The Afghan Taliban are ready to open an office in foreign land aiming for talks with foreigner. This statement was announced Tuesday by a person, named Zabiullah Mujaheed, who claimed himself as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s spokesman. This is the first announcement and signs of open desire of the Taliban to talk to the United States. The spokesman said, regarding this office the primary contact with Qatar and other related task had already been done. He said, they were demanding to get free the imprisoned Afghans from the custody of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They are also ready for talks and negotiations inside the country.

On behalf of Taliban it is the first time, they proposed for negotiation talk without any pre-condition about removal of the American forces from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan was ruled by the Taliban from 1996 to 2001 and was overthrown by US-led occupation.

In the statement, which was in Pashto, a local language, the spokesman added that Islamic Emirate always had attempted to talk to resolve any type of crisis with opposite sides.

US Embassy spokesman in Kabul, Gavin Sundwall, expressed reaction carefully. He said that they encourage an Afghan-led resolving process in which Taliban, who will cut Al Qaeda connection, give up destructiveness and agree with Afghan constitution; remarkably assure the security for minority and woman.

In Washington, Victoria Nuland, State Department spokeswoman said about the same pre-requisites for starting resolving process. Nuland said, though they did not know about any formal statement, they are ready to help all the steps that the Afghans are agreed with.

Ismail Qassemyar, a member of the country's High Peace Council says that they are hopeful because Taliban want to start negotiation-talks, but they are careful that only words do not work. He also opined that talks would have to be held between Afghans. Because in the reconciliation process only Afghans will take decisions not Americans. It is an Afghan process.

Last week he gave warning against the United States and other countries for the attempts of striking its own peace process with the Taliban.

In December, Washington Post reported about two things. One is transfer of five Afghans who are detained in Guantanamo bay and the other is formal announcement of Taliban about giving up of destructiveness. This agreement was in probable stage conducted between Obama administration and Taliban negotiators. According to the Washington Post, President Hamid Karzai objected it and the agreement fell down.

The peace process stopped when senior Afghan peace negotiator and former president Burhanuddin Rabbani gave his life in the hand of militants.

Karzai said that only identified and authorized spokesman of Islamic militia could talk with the government.

 Qassemyar said that address for the Taliban in Qatar will be accepted by them if the Taliban come as a movement or a group, not as a government, or use it as place propaganda.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/03/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-talks