Taliban ready for peace talks: President

KABUL insurgents have stepped up contacts with his administration, indicating their desire for peace negotiations, President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday.

Addressing a new academic year function in Kabul, the president said his government’s efforts for lasting peace were coming to fruition.

Currently, the Pakistan government was also holding productive parleys with the militants, he said, hoping the initiative would bring about peace in the neighbouring country.

About the Afghan Taliban, he said: “They are in contact with us; they want to enter talks with us. This (dialogue) will happen sooner or later. God willing, durable peace will come soon to Afghanistan.”

Those who wanted to achieve their goals by fomenting trouble in Afghanistan had realised the futility of their nefarious designs, the president added.

“Afghans can’t be intimated or coerced into submission through terrorist acts. Known for their sincere friendships, the Afghans can be won over in friendly ways,” he remarked.        

He also stressed the imperative of promoting modern scientific knowledge, calling the lack of sound education the root cause of Afghanistan’s problems and misfortunes.

“It’s true our nation is known all over the world for its bravery and honour. But the time of pitched battles is over. Today’s war is centered on advances in science and technology.”

Over the past 12 years, he said, ample progress had been made in the field of education, with 11.5 million children enrolled school. But 1.5 million children remained out of school, a figure that should be reduced to zero, he added.

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