Karzai asks Saudi Arabia for help in peace talks

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Karzai asks Saudi Arabia for help in peace talks

AP foreign, Tuesday September 30 2008

By RAHIM FAIEZ

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan President Hamid
Karzai said Tuesday he has asked the king of Saudi
Arabia to help facilitate peace talks with the
Taliban in order to bring an end to the Afghan
conflict.

Karzai said there has not yet been any negotiations,
only requests for help. But he said that Afghan
officials have traveled to both Saudi Arabia and to
Pakistan in hopes of ending the conflict.

“For the last two years, I've sent letters to the
king of Saudi Arabia, and I've sent messages, and I
requested from him as the leader of the Islamic world,
for the security and prosperity of Afghanistan and
for reconciliation in Afghanistan ... he should help
us,” Karzai said.

Speaking on the grounds of the presidential palace,
where he gave his traditional message to Afghans for
the Muslim religious holiday of Eid-al Fitr, Karzai
said his government is trying to encourage militants
to lay down arms.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7839227

[Eugene]

1. Afghan president calls on Taliban leader for peace

Source: Reuters

Afghan president calls on Taliban leader for peace
30 Sep 2008 08:38:07 GMT
Source: Reuters
KABUL, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid
Karzai has made a call for peace to Taliban leader
Mullah Omar and has asked the king of Saudi Arabia
to help in talks with the militant group responsible
for a surge violence.

"A few days ago I called upon their leader, Mullah
Omar, and said 'My brother, my dear, come back to
your homeland, come and work for the peace and
good of your people and stop killing your brothers',"
Karzai told reporters on Tuesday.

Karzai denied reports that negotiations with the
Taliban had taken place in Saudi Arabia but said he
had written to the Saudi king to ask him to help
bring peace to Afghanistan and the region.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL374264.htm

[Alamuti Lotus]

2. usual crop of denials & speculation

Initially reports were of processes already going on; in which case, it would seem that the press agencies of the Mayor of Kabul and the Janitor of the Three Holy Sites neglected to inform the other party that a meeting was taken place. Taliban statement in response:

The mainstream media is reporting about a "peace process" between Taliban and Kabul puppet administration which is being sponsored by Saudi Arabia and supported by Britain, or that there are "unprecedented talks" involving a senior ex-Taliban member who is traveling between Kabul and the alleged bases of the Taliban senior leadership in Pakistan. The ex-members of Taliban who have surrender or are under surveillance are not associated with the of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan rejects all these false claims by the enemy who is using this propaganda campaign, the aim of this propaganda is to create an atmosphere of disunity among the Muslims in order to weaken the Ummah. Our struggle will be continued until the departure of all foreign troops.

:shrug: