core sector communique

Grossman Says Taliban Must Renounce Violence in Afghanistan

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.

Staff Writer

Washington - U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman told reporters that before peace talks can begin toward reconciliation between Afghanistan and the former Taliban regime, the Taliban must first renounce terrorism and end armed conflict.

Any peace talks on reconciliation after 11 years of conflict would be with "Afghans talking to Afghans," Grossman said during a news conference January 22 in Kabul. "Only Afghans can decide the future of Afghanistan," he said. The special representative also made clear that he was not conducting negotiations with the Taliban's representatives.

Grossman added that the United States and Afghanistan support a plan by the Taliban to open a diplomatic office in Qatar that would be a first step toward Afghan talks. Grossman was traveling to Doha January 23 to consult with Qatar leaders on his talks in Kabul.

"For an office to open [in Doha], we also need to have a clear statement by the Afghan Taliban against international terrorism and in support of the peace process to end the conflict in Afghanistan," Grossman told reporters.

At the same Kabul press conference, Deputy Afghan Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said that the Afghan government has extended an invitation to Qatar to send a delegation to Kabul to discuss the Taliban's plans for an office in Doha. Grossman also said that the Afghan government indicated that a Qatar planning delegation would further the process, and that he supported those planned talks.

Grossman, who had already made stops in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and India before meeting with leaders in Afghanistan, said that the peace process is a comprehensive, large and complicated set of issues. But he added that the Taliban have not explicitly said they would engage in peace talks, and they have not taken steps necessary to reassure the Afghans and the United States that they intend to end an insurgency.

The Taliban have reportedly sought the release of Taliban detainees, but Grossman also made clear that the release of detainees from a detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is a matter of U.S. law and would require extensive talks between President Obama and the U.S. Congress before any decision could be made.

Obama has announced plans to begin a measured reduction of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, with the intent to transfer the lead in providing security to the Afghans by the end of 2014, but said that it would be based on conditions in Afghanistan and progress in expanding Afghan national security forces to provide for the nation's security.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)