The US and Taliban will hold another round of secret talks in next few days with the help of Pakistan to end violence and restore peace in Afghanistan's insurgency-hit provinces
ISLAMABAD: The United States and Taliban will hold another round of secret talks in next few days with the help of Pakistan to end violence and restore peace in Afghanistan's insurgency-hit provinces in the South and Southwest.
Both the sides have already held the first round of talks before the recent visit of the US Assistant Secretary of States, Richard Boucher,to Islamabad, The Nation newspaper reported today.
The next round of talks would coincide with the visit of US Deputy Secretary of States, John Negroponte, who is arriving here on September 10,the paper said quoting diplomatic sources.
They said that the first round of talks was held in Pakistan and the second round would also be held here. However, they refused to give the details of the city or town where the talks were held.
The parleys are aimed at securing peace deals between the Taliban and US-led coalition forces in areas of Afghanistan where violence was on rise.
The talks, if proved successful, could also lead to the incorporation of Taliban into the political process in Kabul.
The new peace deals would be on the pattern of pacts struck last year in the Southwestern Afghan provinces of Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul that lapsed after a while. Not only those deals would be revived but also efforts would be made to clinch new ones in Southeastern provinces of Kunar and Khost.
A Pakistani official when contacted declined to confirm the talks being held with Pakistan's assistance but said that any peace efforts with the inclusion of Taliban would help ensure the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Peace in Afghanistan was vital for the progress of whole region and Pakistan had always supported endeavors aiming at stability in the neighboring country they added.
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