Global General

Pakistan, US at odds over talks with Taliban

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-02 10:15

ISLAMABAD - Behind-the-scene peace talks in reconciliation process involving Pakistan, the US, Afghanistan and Taliban insurgents have made little progress because Pakistan and US differed over the question of who can be reconcilable, sources told Xinhua Monday.

To find a political solution to the nine-year-long Taliban insurgency against Afghan government backed up by NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, Pakistan introduced an al-Qaeda-linked group " Haqqani network" led by aging Jalauddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin Haqqani which has stronghold in Pakistan's North Waziristan, a northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan, and in eastern Afghan provinces of Paktika, Khost and Paktia.

But US did not agree to include this group in peace negotiations because American authorities regard this group as the most vicious enemy of NATO forces.

"It is the real controversial stage, Pakistan says the Haqqani network is negotiable but the US takes it from totally different angle," a senior diplomat, demanding anonymity, told Xinhua on Monday.

American diplomats also questioned the wisdom of Pakistan to view a group close to  al-Qaeda reconcilable.

This is the main reason the Obama administration has been urging and pressing Pakistan to eliminate "safe heavens" of the group in North Waziristan.

But Pakistan, which has launched military offensive against militants in the tribal areas in the past two years, is thinking totally different from US policymakers.

"Pakistan will never take the risk to operate against Haqqani Network because at last America will have to leave the region and Pakistan want to keep this last friendly group in his pocket for future reconciliation," said Aslam Khan, a senior analyst who has close links with Haqqanis.

Criticizing the America's confusing policy, Khan said they wanted reconciliation yet they asked Pakistan to target this friendly group who can be helpful for a political settlement in future.

Khan also denied any link between Al-Qaeda and Haqqani Network and said the group is independent and the true follower of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar.

Rustam Shah Mohmand, Pakistan's former ambassador to Afghanistan, urged Pakistan not to take action against Haqqani Network otherwise they would have to pay "a heavy price".

"If Pakistan, for the sake of 2 billion dollars in US aid, attacks the Haqqani network, it will have to face serious consequences," warned Mohmand.

Official sources revealed that Afghan president Hamid Karzai really wished to hold dialogue with Taliban through Haqqani Network but American pressure had changed his mind.

It was reported that a meeting was held two weeks ago between Karzai and a group of three former Taliban leaders, Abdul Kabir, Sedre Azama and Anwarul Haq Mujahed, who were flown to Kabul from Pakistan's Peshawar by a helicopter.

The main focus of the meeting was reportedly on how to lessen the influence of the Haqqani Network.

After the meeting, sources said, Afghan authorities have decided to release some top Taliban commanders in exchange for envoy to Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi who was kidnapped by militants in 2008 from Peshawar.

Afghan issue experts in Pakistan said that Taliban is key to peace in Afghanistan and the route to Taliban is Pakistan and its identified group Haqqani Network. "Sooner  or later all stake holders in Afghanistan will have to talk directly with Taliban if they want peace in their country," they said.