The Afghan Taliban said Tuesday they have reached a preliminary deal with the Gulf state of Qatar to open a liaison office there in what could be the first step toward peace talks to end more than a decade of war.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the office will conduct negotiations with the international community. He did not say when it would open.
For the US and its allies, the idea of a Taliban political office in Doha has become the central element in efforts to draw the insurgents into peace talks.
“Right now, having a strong presence in Afghanistan, we still want to have a political office for negotiations,” said Mujahid. “In this regard, we have started preliminary talks and we have reached a preliminary understanding with relevant sides, including the government of Qatar, to have a political office for negotiations with the international community.”
Mujahid’s emailed statement also said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s name under Taliban rule — has “requested for the exchange of prisoners from Guantanamo.” He was referring to a Taliban demand that the US release five Afghan prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.
A senior US official said last week Washington plans to continue a series of secret meetings with the Taliban in Europe and the Persian Gulf region in 2012.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said his government will accept the Taliban establishing an office in Turkey, Qatar or Saudi Arabia for the purpose of holding peace talks.