US efforts to seek an end to the war in Afghanistan has reached a "critical juncture", American officials have said indicating that Obama's pointman Marc Grossman is rushing to the region to resume preliminary talks with the Taliban.
Grossman and his team are rushing back to the region to consult several allies, including Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to resume negotiations, New York Times reported, quoting US officials.
The breakthrough in negotiations has come after Taliban's spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, in an emailed statement, said the group is ready to enter peace talks, but would in the meantime continue their armed struggle.
The Times said the announcement by Taliban and its move to open a political office in Qatar "represents a critical point in the United States' attempt to negotiate an end to the Afghanistan war".
The Taliban statement said the group would "increase its political efforts to come to a mutual understanding with the world" to bring peace in Afghanistan.
"But the understanding does not mean a surrender from Jihad. The Islamic Emirates is utilising its political wing alongside its military presence and Jihad in order to realise the national and Islamic aspiration of Afghanistan," the Taliban statement said.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that US special regional envoy Grossman would visit Kabul next week to discuss the peace proposal.
Clinton, after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani in Washington, said "positive statements" from Karzai and the Taliban signalled support for resuming negotiations.
Comments
