UK's Cameron urges Afghan Taliban to talk
LONDON: Britain and the United States are agreed on the need to give top priority in the coming months to efforts to engage Taliban insurgents in a peace process in Afghanistan, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday.
"Now is the moment to step up our efforts to reach a political settlement," Cameron said at a news conference with U.S. President Barack Obama.
"The Taliban must make a decisive split from Al Qaeda, give up violence, and join a political process that will bring lasting peace to that country. We are agreed to give this the highest priority in the months ahead."
Cameron also said the West should redouble its efforts to work with Pakistan as they seek to stamp out terrorism.
Questions have been raised about Pakistan's commitment to tackling militants after the United States located and killed al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in the town of Abbottabad in the heart of the country.
"People are asking questions about our relationship, so we need to be clear: Pakistan has suffered more from terrorism than any other country in the world. Their enemy is our enemy," Cameron said.
"Far from walking away we've got to work even more closely with them," he said.
Foreign combat troops are expected to leave Afghanistan by 2014, with Afghan security forces gradually taking over responsibility across the country.
Official sources from three countries have said that the United States has already begun talks with representatives of the Taliban, although these have so far been described as preliminary rather than substantive.
Some officials have also said that bin Laden's death could make it easier for the Taliban to break with al Qaeda.
However, they caution against expecting any early breakthrough in complex efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan after decades of war.
Cameron also repeated his insistence that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi must go.
"It is impossible to imagine a future for Libya with Gaddafi still in power -- he must go." AGENCIES
http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=32346
"Now is the moment to step up our efforts to reach a political settlement," Cameron said at a news conference with U.S. President Barack Obama.
"The Taliban must make a decisive split from Al Qaeda, give up violence, and join a political process that will bring lasting peace to that country. We are agreed to give this the highest priority in the months ahead."
Cameron also said the West should redouble its efforts to work with Pakistan as they seek to stamp out terrorism.
Questions have been raised about Pakistan's commitment to tackling militants after the United States located and killed al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in the town of Abbottabad in the heart of the country.
"People are asking questions about our relationship, so we need to be clear: Pakistan has suffered more from terrorism than any other country in the world. Their enemy is our enemy," Cameron said.
"Far from walking away we've got to work even more closely with them," he said.
Foreign combat troops are expected to leave Afghanistan by 2014, with Afghan security forces gradually taking over responsibility across the country.
Official sources from three countries have said that the United States has already begun talks with representatives of the Taliban, although these have so far been described as preliminary rather than substantive.
Some officials have also said that bin Laden's death could make it easier for the Taliban to break with al Qaeda.
However, they caution against expecting any early breakthrough in complex efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan after decades of war.
Cameron also repeated his insistence that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi must go.
"It is impossible to imagine a future for Libya with Gaddafi still in power -- he must go." AGENCIES
http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=32346
