By DPA
Kabul : Afghanistan’s Muslim extremist Taliban Sunday rejected an offer of peace talks from the President Hamid Karzai, demanding first the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.
“Our position has not changed regarding the peace talks,” said Taliban spokesman Kari Yussif Ahmadi. “As long as the Afghan government lacks its own authority and planning and as long as there are foreign forces in Afghanistan, we are not ready for talks.”
On Saturday, Karzai made a renewed call for talks with the Taliban, declaring himself ready to meet personally Taliban head Mullah Omar and rebel leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
The president, however, said a withdrawal from Afghanistan of thousands of troops from the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was not on the table.