By NNN-Xinhua,
Islamabad, Pakistan : Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States on Wednesday discussed issues relating to safe passage to Afghan Taliban militants, who want to join peace process, officials said.
“Delegations from Kabul, Washington and Islamabad participated in yesterday’s meeting and agreed to continue further discussions aimed at promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
The three countries had agreed to establish the Safe Passage Working Group during their meeting in Islamabad in April this year after Afghan officials had concerned at the safety of those militants who are interested in talks with the Afghan government.
No more details were given in a short Foreign Ministry’s statement.
Afghanistan had been seeking help from Pakistan and the United States for security of those Taliban leaders who are outside Afghanistan and want to enter into dialogue with the Karzai’s administration.
President Hamid Karzai had told Pakistani political and religious leaders in Islamabad in February that Taliban leaders are either killed or arrested whenever they show willingness to negotiate with his government.
Taliban have refused so far to talk to the Afghan government and had preferred to hold talks with the United States in Qatar, which Taliban suspended in March over the release of Taliban detainees. Taliban had suggested release of some of their prisoners as a goodwill gesture to take the Qatar process of dialogue forward.