Gates: Pakistan-style truce in Afghanistan acceptable

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Says reconciliation possible if Taliban insurgents put down their arms

40 minutes ago

KRAKOW, Poland -

A reporter from Pakistan's Geo Television brought up the Swat deal and criticism of it by Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's envoy to the region.

The reporter asked whether, if Pakistan succeeds in pacifying militant activity in Swat, the United States would allow Afghans to make a similar type of agreement.

Gates replied: "If there is a reconciliation, if insurgents are willing to put down their arms, if the reconciliation is essentially on the terms being offered by the government then I think we would be very open to that.

"We have said all along that ultimately some sort of political reconciliation has to be part of the long-term solution in Afghanistan," Gates said.

Later, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said: "The secretary is too polite to take issue with the premise of the question, but he was in no way equating the prospect for reconciliation in Afghanistan with whatever deal the Pakistani government may or may not be trying to cut with militants in Swat province."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29307495/

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1. Gates has conditions for any deal with Taliban

"We have said all along that ultimately some sort of political reconciliation has to be part of the long-term solution in Afghanistan," Gates said.

report: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/20/MNIO161OSJ.DTL