Afghanistan's Karzai in Secret Talks with Taliban

Jakarta - Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been holding secret talks with Taliban officials in the hope of making peace with the government, as reported by New York Times on Tuesday, quoting Afghan and western countries' officials. 

New York Times reported Afghan presidential spokesman has confirmed that contacts had been made since November last year and the result had been positive.

Karzai announced in November his intention to avoid signing a bilateral security agreement with the United States until presidential election in April. Karzai has been in office for two periods and will not re-run for the election.

Karzai's decision caused frustration for President Barack Obama, who was scheduled to meet military commanders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the future of US mission in Afghanistan.

Relations between the US and Afghanistan have been on a downward spiral after Karzai's refusal to sign the security deal. Washington has signaled to withdraw all troops after 2014 unless the deal is signed soon. The deal is signed, the US will still leave some of its troops to fight Taliban.

Taliban has vowed to foil the election in April 5 and intensified its assault on the capital Kabul, showing that the secret talks between Karzai and Taliban did not go well.

Source : Tempo