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Brown supports Taliban talk offer | Brown supports Taliban talk offer |
(40 minutes later) | |
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered his support to Afghanistan's plan to talk to moderate Taliban. | British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered his support to Afghanistan's plan to talk to moderate Taliban. |
He spoke at a debate organised by the BBC with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, ahead of a conference on Afghanistan. | He spoke at a debate organised by the BBC with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, ahead of a conference on Afghanistan. |
Both leaders said the offer of talks was only to non-extremist Taliban who could renounce violence. | Both leaders said the offer of talks was only to non-extremist Taliban who could renounce violence. |
President Karzai defended the plan against criticism that it could undermine freedoms won by the Afghan people. | President Karzai defended the plan against criticism that it could undermine freedoms won by the Afghan people. |
Responding to questions from Afghan and British students at the debate, Mr Brown said: "To weaken the Taliban you divide them and offer those people who are prepared to renounce violence and join the democratic process a way out." | Responding to questions from Afghan and British students at the debate, Mr Brown said: "To weaken the Taliban you divide them and offer those people who are prepared to renounce violence and join the democratic process a way out." |
There still will be a lot more to accomplish on our own and with the international community Hamid KarzaiAfghan President | There still will be a lot more to accomplish on our own and with the international community Hamid KarzaiAfghan President |
He added: "It's detaching the people who are violently committed to the ideology that we are talking about here - if you can detach the others and persuade them that they should be part of the democratic process, that they should renounce violence and that there is a future for them only if they join the democratic process." | He added: "It's detaching the people who are violently committed to the ideology that we are talking about here - if you can detach the others and persuade them that they should be part of the democratic process, that they should renounce violence and that there is a future for them only if they join the democratic process." |
Mr Karzai defended his government's plan to offer the Taliban talks, after a question from an Afghan student. | Mr Karzai defended his government's plan to offer the Taliban talks, after a question from an Afghan student. |
"We will continue to seek peace in Afghanistan, using all the means that are available to us. | "We will continue to seek peace in Afghanistan, using all the means that are available to us. |
"The offer of talks with the Taliban goes to those who are not part of al-Qaeda, or other terrorist networks, who have accepted the Afghan constitution, who will accept the Afghan constitution, who will return to a normal peaceful life in Afghanistan in accordance with the Afghan constitution, benefiting from it as all other Afghan citizens do." | "The offer of talks with the Taliban goes to those who are not part of al-Qaeda, or other terrorist networks, who have accepted the Afghan constitution, who will accept the Afghan constitution, who will return to a normal peaceful life in Afghanistan in accordance with the Afghan constitution, benefiting from it as all other Afghan citizens do." |
Security push | Security push |
Hamid Karzai: "On the question of warlords, I think you are a bit late in the day talking about it" | |
President Karzai admitted that corruption was a big concern and said he would announce plans for tougher action at the London conference on Thursday. | President Karzai admitted that corruption was a big concern and said he would announce plans for tougher action at the London conference on Thursday. |
Mr Brown stressed that the plans to train another 100,000 Afghan police and army would help the security situation. | Mr Brown stressed that the plans to train another 100,000 Afghan police and army would help the security situation. |
He defended keeping British troops in Afghanistan, saying they were needed to build the capacity of Afghanistan's own security forces. | He defended keeping British troops in Afghanistan, saying they were needed to build the capacity of Afghanistan's own security forces. |
Mr Karzai said his goal of having Afghan forces in charge of security within five years did not mean that the country would not need further support. | Mr Karzai said his goal of having Afghan forces in charge of security within five years did not mean that the country would not need further support. |
"There still will be the need for international forces; there still will be the need for financial support of Afghanistan; there still will be a lot more to accomplish on our own and with the international community." | "There still will be the need for international forces; there still will be the need for financial support of Afghanistan; there still will be a lot more to accomplish on our own and with the international community." |
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