Paris: French Foreign Minister said on Sunday that officials from the Afghan government, the Taliban rebel movement and other factions would meet this week near Paris to discuss the country’s future as NATO troops prepare to pull out in 2014.
According to Reuters, Laurent Fabius, whose country withdrew the last of its combat troops from Afghanistan on Saturday, said Afghan President Hamid Karzai had given his green light to the meeting.
“Discreet talks have been taking place between different factions for three years,” Fabius said.
“If you want peace, it’s usually between people who don’t agree, and over there they don’t talk to each other. So there will be discussions, but it won’t be negotiations.”
On the other hand, a Taliban spokesman said that there would only be speeches at the conference and there would be no political commitments and no negotiations would take place.
The officials are due to meet between Wednesday and Friday at a secret location to the north of Paris, which will be entirely closed off, said Camille Grand, director of the Foundation for Strategic Research, a think tank which is organising the event.
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