By IRNA
Berlin : German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung rejected calls for talks with the radical Taliban militia, branding it “absurd”.
“As long as the Taliban are resorting to violence against the population of Afghanistan and our soldiers, police and civilian reconstruction workers, as long as they do not renounce violence, I don’t see a possibility for talks,” Jung said in an interview with Saturday’s edition of the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper.
The minister’s latest remarks followed earlier statements by German deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg who hinted at talks with “moderate and reasonable” Taliban elements.
Meanwhile, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine reported that Germany is to expand its military training program of the Afghan army.
Berlin has deployed some 3,000 troops in northern Afghanistan as part of the 38,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Germany has faced intense pressure in recent months from its NATO allies, notably the US, Britain and Canada, to extend its military presence into southern Afghanistan where NATO troops are trying to crush a Taliban insurgency.
German public opinion opposes sending more soldiers to the war- stricken country.
Berlin has repeatedly said that more focus should be placed on rebuilding efforts rather than solely military instruments.