By Xinhua
Stockholm : Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere has said he favours negotiations with the Taliban to secure peace in Afghanistan, according to reports reaching here from Oslo Sunday.
“We lump Taliban together with all that is nasty and evil. (But) there are now many even in (Afghan) parliament with a background in the Taliban movement,” Stoere said in an interview with the Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Only two weeks ago, Stoere was attacked by terrorists at a hotel in Kabul where he had been staying. A Norwegian journalist was killed and an official of the Norwegian foreign ministry was seriously wounded.
Negotiations with people who commit terrorist acts are demanding, but it is possible to draw up plans for a process where many of these circles are included, Stoere said.
He added that such negotiations are important as a parallel to work aimed at improving security.
Norway has about 500 soldiers in Afghanistan under the leadership of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.