US to continue supporting Afghan peace process: Envoy

Jan 23, 2012 |

IANS

Kabul

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US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman has said Washington would continue to support the Afghan peace process.

"The ultimate goal of our efforts has been and remained to create a condition for peace process among Afghans," Grossman told a joint press conference with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin.

Media reports said the Taliban have shown readiness for talks to find a settlement for the Afghan crisis, Xinhua reported.

The Taliban earlier this month for the first time announced they had reached a preliminary understanding with the government of Qatar to open a liaison office there to facilitate peace talks.

Grossman said: "I found strong support for peace in Afghanistan and for conversations among Afghans. Afghanistan and the US support a peace process for Afghanistan."

Ludin, however, emphasised that any peace talks with the Taliban "should be Afghan-led".

He said the government supports transferring detainees to Qatar from the American detention centre in Guantanomo.

The Taliban have demanded the release of their prisoners from Guantanamo as a condition for peace talks.

Grossman, however, said the US would not take any decision to release the Taliban detainees.

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