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| US races to mollify Hamid Karzai over plans for peace talks with Taliban | US races to mollify Hamid Karzai over plans for peace talks with Taliban |
| (4 months later) | |
| The US was scrambling to salvage a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban on Wednesday amid a diplomatic row between Washington and the Afghan president Hamid Karzai over how the process was announced. | The US was scrambling to salvage a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban on Wednesday amid a diplomatic row between Washington and the Afghan president Hamid Karzai over how the process was announced. |
| Repeated phone calls by John Kerry, the US secretary of state, appeared not to have mollified Karzai, who accused the Obama administration of duplicity. Irritated by a press conference in Qatar at which the Taliban effectively portrayed itself as a government in exile, Karzai suspended talks on a long-term security deal to keep US troops in Afghanistan after Nato leaves in 2014. | Repeated phone calls by John Kerry, the US secretary of state, appeared not to have mollified Karzai, who accused the Obama administration of duplicity. Irritated by a press conference in Qatar at which the Taliban effectively portrayed itself as a government in exile, Karzai suspended talks on a long-term security deal to keep US troops in Afghanistan after Nato leaves in 2014. |
| News on Tuesday that American diplomats would sit down with Taliban leaders – the first direct talks since the US helped oust the group from power in 2001 – prompted speculation that real progress towards a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan might be in sight. | News on Tuesday that American diplomats would sit down with Taliban leaders – the first direct talks since the US helped oust the group from power in 2001 – prompted speculation that real progress towards a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan might be in sight. |
| But while the Taliban hinted at meeting US demands of a break with al-Qaida – saying Afghan soil should not be used to harm other countries – there was only the barest of nods to the Afghan government's request that they talk to the current administration and respect the constitution. They infuriated Karzai by displaying a white Taliban flag and repeatedly referring to the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", the name the group used when they ruled from Kabul. | But while the Taliban hinted at meeting US demands of a break with al-Qaida – saying Afghan soil should not be used to harm other countries – there was only the barest of nods to the Afghan government's request that they talk to the current administration and respect the constitution. They infuriated Karzai by displaying a white Taliban flag and repeatedly referring to the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", the name the group used when they ruled from Kabul. |
| The Taliban also claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on the Bagram air base that killed four Americans on the same day that the tentative deal about talks was announced. | The Taliban also claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on the Bagram air base that killed four Americans on the same day that the tentative deal about talks was announced. |
| On Wednesday the US suspended plans to attend the talks, which were due to begin in Doha, the capital of Qatar, this week. Ambassador James Dobbins, its special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will now remaining in Washington until further notice. | On Wednesday the US suspended plans to attend the talks, which were due to begin in Doha, the capital of Qatar, this week. Ambassador James Dobbins, its special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will now remaining in Washington until further notice. |
| A state department spokeswoman said the US had also asked the Qatari government to remove a sign from outside a new Taliban office in Doha that proclaimed it as representing the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". | A state department spokeswoman said the US had also asked the Qatari government to remove a sign from outside a new Taliban office in Doha that proclaimed it as representing the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". |
| However, wider tensions remain, particularly over the US role in the newly announced peace talks. "We are still in discussion with the Afghan government about the appropriate next steps," said state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who confirmed Dobbins would remain in the US for now. "I don't have any updates on if and when he will travel." | However, wider tensions remain, particularly over the US role in the newly announced peace talks. "We are still in discussion with the Afghan government about the appropriate next steps," said state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who confirmed Dobbins would remain in the US for now. "I don't have any updates on if and when he will travel." |
| Earlier on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported president Karzai would not now continue peace talks with the Taliban unless the US stepped out of the negotiations. He also suspended talks with the US about handing over security to Afghan forces, citing the Taliban naming of its office as one of Kabul's concerns. | Earlier on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported president Karzai would not now continue peace talks with the Taliban unless the US stepped out of the negotiations. He also suspended talks with the US about handing over security to Afghan forces, citing the Taliban naming of its office as one of Kabul's concerns. |
| In a statement Karzai said the office was "totally contradictory to the guarantees that were made by the USA to Afghanistan". | In a statement Karzai said the office was "totally contradictory to the guarantees that were made by the USA to Afghanistan". |
| The US says all four parties, including Qatar, had agreed that the Taliban would describe their office in Doha as "the political office of the Afghan Taliban" rather than anything that would hint at diplomatic recognition of Taliban sovereignty claims over Afghanistan. | The US says all four parties, including Qatar, had agreed that the Taliban would describe their office in Doha as "the political office of the Afghan Taliban" rather than anything that would hint at diplomatic recognition of Taliban sovereignty claims over Afghanistan. |
| The BBC reported later that the subsequent removal of the sign in Doha might have placated Karzai somewhat and that he may be willing to continue with security handover talks at least. | The BBC reported later that the subsequent removal of the sign in Doha might have placated Karzai somewhat and that he may be willing to continue with security handover talks at least. |
| Nevertheless, the affair has cast a shadow over what Washington had hoped would prove to be breakthrough peace negotiations with the Taliban after 12 years of fighting in the country. | Nevertheless, the affair has cast a shadow over what Washington had hoped would prove to be breakthrough peace negotiations with the Taliban after 12 years of fighting in the country. |
| The State Department said the US remained committed to making the talks happen, but acknowledged it had been a shaky start. "We always knew there would be bumps in the road," said spokeswoman Psaki. "Clearly this has been challenging." | The State Department said the US remained committed to making the talks happen, but acknowledged it had been a shaky start. "We always knew there would be bumps in the road," said spokeswoman Psaki. "Clearly this has been challenging." |
| She denied that Washington had been partly to blame for the breakdown in relations after conflicting messages about the US role appeared to be relayed to Kabul on Tuesday. "I am not going to place fault," said Psaki. "The conditions were agreed by all four parties." | She denied that Washington had been partly to blame for the breakdown in relations after conflicting messages about the US role appeared to be relayed to Kabul on Tuesday. "I am not going to place fault," said Psaki. "The conditions were agreed by all four parties." |
| The US had pledged the Taliban would only be able to use the Doha as base for talks, not as a political platform, and Karzai felt the Tuesday press conference was a clear violation of that promise, an official Afghan source told the Guardian. | The US had pledged the Taliban would only be able to use the Doha as base for talks, not as a political platform, and Karzai felt the Tuesday press conference was a clear violation of that promise, an official Afghan source told the Guardian. |
| More significant than the name of the Taliban office is the insistence of the US in taking part in broad negotiations at all. The Afghan government would prefer the US to restrict its role to fringe issues such as the fate of prisoners held by the Taliban. | More significant than the name of the Taliban office is the insistence of the US in taking part in broad negotiations at all. The Afghan government would prefer the US to restrict its role to fringe issues such as the fate of prisoners held by the Taliban. |
| Washington concedes that the process has to be "Afghan-led" to be successful, but the state department repeated claims made by unnamed administration officials on Tuesday that the US wishes to discuss broader issues with the Taliban such as renouncing violence, links with al-Qaida and women's rights in the country. | Washington concedes that the process has to be "Afghan-led" to be successful, but the state department repeated claims made by unnamed administration officials on Tuesday that the US wishes to discuss broader issues with the Taliban such as renouncing violence, links with al-Qaida and women's rights in the country. |
| Psaki also rejected criticism that the US had caved in by agreeing to meet with the Taliban before it severed links with al-Qaida. | Psaki also rejected criticism that the US had caved in by agreeing to meet with the Taliban before it severed links with al-Qaida. |
| In 2011, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton had described the issue as an "unambiguous red line for reconciliation with the insurgents", without which the Taliban would not be allowed to be part of a political peace process. | In 2011, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton had described the issue as an "unambiguous red line for reconciliation with the insurgents", without which the Taliban would not be allowed to be part of a political peace process. |
| This apparent precondition is now a US negotiating aim instead. "We don't expect that they would decry Al-Qaeda and denounce terrorism immediately off the top – this is the end goal," said Psaki on Wednesday. | This apparent precondition is now a US negotiating aim instead. "We don't expect that they would decry Al-Qaeda and denounce terrorism immediately off the top – this is the end goal," said Psaki on Wednesday. |
| Kerry rang Karzai on Tuesday night after the initial announcement of talks began to rattle the Kabul government and again on Wednesday following the angry Afghan statement in response. "I don't think there was any confusion but this is a fluid process and it is not unusual for them to be speaking regularly," said Psaki. | Kerry rang Karzai on Tuesday night after the initial announcement of talks began to rattle the Kabul government and again on Wednesday following the angry Afghan statement in response. "I don't think there was any confusion but this is a fluid process and it is not unusual for them to be speaking regularly," said Psaki. |
| Additional reporting by the Associated Press in Kabul | Additional reporting by the Associated Press in Kabul |
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