Afghan Taliban and government peace talks

Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government's High Peace Council (HPC) concluded on Tuesday, with host Pakistan saying they would meet again after Ramadan was over (July 17).

"The participants agreed to continue talks to create an environment conducive for peace and the reconciliation process," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The meeting took place at Murree, a resort close to Islamabad. Officials from China and the United States were also present during the discussions, which were an attempt to end the war in Afghanistan that began with the US-led invasion in 2001.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described the talks as a "breakthrough" and said that the process had to succeed. In remarks released by his office, Sharif said that the peace efforts would be difficult and the international community had to make sure nobody "derails the process."

Peace talks with the Afghan Taliban had been going on informally for the past several months, but Tuesday's talks were the first time both parties officially met. The White House also lauded the initiative, with spokesman Josh Earnest saying the US welcomed the talks, which were "an important step toward advancing prospects for a credible peace."

The Afghan Taliban, however, have in the past, disowned the peace process, saying those speaking to the Afghan government were not authorized to do so. Meanwhile, its fighters continue with their summer offensive in Kabul, where on Tuesday twin suicide attacks targeted a NATO convoy and an Afghan intelligence office.

mg/jil (AFP, Reuters)