NATO signals willingness to contact Taliban
13:33, 6 August 2009
BAKU. August 6. KAZINFORM NATO's new Secretary-General says holding peace talks with "certain groups" in Afghanistan is an option to end the escalating violence in the war-torn country, reported PressTV; Kazinform reports citing Trend News.
During his first visit to Afghanistan after taking office as the head of the 28-nation alliance, Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters on Wednesday that "pragmatic steps" were planned to be taken to restore security in the country.
Rasmussen, who was talking at a joint press conference with the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, declared that if the establishment of security required "talks with a number of groups within the Afghan society, I'm ready to do that."
His remarks signaled his willingness to follow in the footsteps of some Western powers including Britain to open a dialogue with the Taliban; Kazinform has learnt from Trend News.
See www.news-en.trend.az for full version.