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| ‘Cordial and Friendly’ Session as Pakistan and Taliban Open Talks | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani government officials and Taliban representatives made their first formal contact on Thursday, each side handing the other a wish list as they began talks to end a debilitating conflict that has ravaged the country for years. | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani government officials and Taliban representatives made their first formal contact on Thursday, each side handing the other a wish list as they began talks to end a debilitating conflict that has ravaged the country for years. |
| A meeting scheduled for Tuesday had to be postponed after the government side failed to show up. | A meeting scheduled for Tuesday had to be postponed after the government side failed to show up. |
| The talks took place a week after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced that he wanted to give peace negotiations another chance despite mounting pressure in the country to use force against Taliban insurgents, who have challenged the government’s authority in tribal regions and have made inroads in urban areas. | The talks took place a week after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced that he wanted to give peace negotiations another chance despite mounting pressure in the country to use force against Taliban insurgents, who have challenged the government’s authority in tribal regions and have made inroads in urban areas. |
| On Thursday, a four-member government team met with negotiators nominated by the Taliban and led by Maulana Sami ul-Haq, a prominent religious leader who has close ties to the Taliban leadership in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. | On Thursday, a four-member government team met with negotiators nominated by the Taliban and led by Maulana Sami ul-Haq, a prominent religious leader who has close ties to the Taliban leadership in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. |
| The site of the meeting was initially kept secret, but it was soon revealed that it was being held at a government building in Islamabad, the capital. | The site of the meeting was initially kept secret, but it was soon revealed that it was being held at a government building in Islamabad, the capital. |
| After almost four hours, both sides described the talks as “cordial and friendly.” | After almost four hours, both sides described the talks as “cordial and friendly.” |
| Irfan Siddiqui, the coordinator of the government’s team, was particularly effusive. “It seemed as if we were not two different committees but one committee, and had the same goal,” Mr. Siddiqui told reporters after the meeting. | Irfan Siddiqui, the coordinator of the government’s team, was particularly effusive. “It seemed as if we were not two different committees but one committee, and had the same goal,” Mr. Siddiqui told reporters after the meeting. |
| Mr. Siddiqui said that the government wanted the talks to be held within the framework of the Pakistani Constitution and that any agreements be limited to areas where militants had battled government forces. | Mr. Siddiqui said that the government wanted the talks to be held within the framework of the Pakistani Constitution and that any agreements be limited to areas where militants had battled government forces. |
| That is in a sharp contrast to the position held by the Taliban, who have long demanded that Islamic law, or Shariah, be put in effect throughout the country. | That is in a sharp contrast to the position held by the Taliban, who have long demanded that Islamic law, or Shariah, be put in effect throughout the country. |
| The government also wants an assurance that the militants will stop their attacks during the talks, Mr. Siddiqui said. | The government also wants an assurance that the militants will stop their attacks during the talks, Mr. Siddiqui said. |
| Mr. Haq, while not as effusive as Mr. Siddiqui, still described the talks as “positive.” | Mr. Haq, while not as effusive as Mr. Siddiqui, still described the talks as “positive.” |
| In a statement read to reporters, Mr. Haq said the Taliban wanted clarifications on the powers of the government committee and whether it could actually enforce any decision reached by the two sides. | In a statement read to reporters, Mr. Haq said the Taliban wanted clarifications on the powers of the government committee and whether it could actually enforce any decision reached by the two sides. |
| Mr. Haq and his team also expressed a wish to meet Mr. Sharif; Gen. Raheel Sharif, the army chief; and Lt. Gen. Zahir ul-Islam, the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, the country’s spy agency. | Mr. Haq and his team also expressed a wish to meet Mr. Sharif; Gen. Raheel Sharif, the army chief; and Lt. Gen. Zahir ul-Islam, the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, the country’s spy agency. |
| The government team, for its part, expressed a desire to meet the Taliban leadership. | The government team, for its part, expressed a desire to meet the Taliban leadership. |
| Both sides refused to take questions from journalists. No date for the next round of talks was announced, but both sides suggested that they expected to meet after a week. The Taliban representatives said they planned to travel next to North Waziristan, the rugged tribal region and haven from which the Taliban leadership has mounted attacks inside Pakistan and Afghanistan. | Both sides refused to take questions from journalists. No date for the next round of talks was announced, but both sides suggested that they expected to meet after a week. The Taliban representatives said they planned to travel next to North Waziristan, the rugged tribal region and haven from which the Taliban leadership has mounted attacks inside Pakistan and Afghanistan. |
| There is skepticism across the country about the peace talks’ chances for success. Earlier accords with militants foundered, the last time in 2009, after a peace treaty was signed with militants in Swat, the picturesque northern valley. This time, analysts say the conditions placed by both sides present potential pitfalls, as it remains uncertain if the Taliban, who have declared the country’s Constitution and democratic system to be un-Islamic, would agree to change their hard-line and entrenched position. | There is skepticism across the country about the peace talks’ chances for success. Earlier accords with militants foundered, the last time in 2009, after a peace treaty was signed with militants in Swat, the picturesque northern valley. This time, analysts say the conditions placed by both sides present potential pitfalls, as it remains uncertain if the Taliban, who have declared the country’s Constitution and democratic system to be un-Islamic, would agree to change their hard-line and entrenched position. |
| “It is still not clear whether both sides will negotiate, notwithstanding the statement by a government team member who said that both sides seemed alike,” said Omar R. Quraishi, the opinion pages editor of The Express Tribune, an English-language daily based in Karachi. | “It is still not clear whether both sides will negotiate, notwithstanding the statement by a government team member who said that both sides seemed alike,” said Omar R. Quraishi, the opinion pages editor of The Express Tribune, an English-language daily based in Karachi. |
| “Given the extreme nature of conditions that have been laid out,” he said, reaching a middle ground will be difficult. | “Given the extreme nature of conditions that have been laid out,” he said, reaching a middle ground will be difficult. |