Karzai's willingness to talk to Taliban gratifies US

Herald Globe (IANS) Wednesday 22nd February, 2012

The US was pleased by the willingness expressed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to talk directly to the Taliban, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland has said.

"I think we have been gratified to see President Karzai speaking out publicly in support of Afghan-to-Afghan reconciliation," she told reporters at a briefing Tuesday, adding that the US had been working on this "for some time".

Her comment came after Karzai issued a statement earlier Tuesday saying he was hopeful to have direct talks with the Taliban, reported Xinhua.

"Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job if that makes sense," said Nuland. "Because when we get to the point where it's Afghans and Afghans talking to each other, then we'll really have a true reconciliation process."

President Barack Obama Monday talked with Karzai over the phone on an array of strategic issues of mutual concern.

White House said the two leaders discussed "regional support for Afghan-led reconciliation, the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran trilateral meetings last week in Islamabad, and other strategic issues of mutual concern".