Afghan Commission For Talks With Taliban Unveils Program

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March 25, 2009

Tribal elders will travel to Kandahar and Pakistan for talks with local leaders.

NANGARHAR, Afghanistan -- A commission for negotiations with the Taliban established by Nangarhar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai has introduced its work platform, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports.

The commission consists of tribal elders and popular figures from the Nangarhar and Paktiya provinces.

Mohammad Hashem Ghamsharick, commission secretary and an aide to the Nangarhar governor, told the conference on March 23 that the first phase of work entails traveling to Kandahar so local leaders can introduce their representatives to the commission. In the second phase, an authorized delegation would be sent to the other side of the border in Pakistan for talks with religious and local leaders and to invite them for further dialogue.

Ghamsharick says the next stage would be to hold a bigger gathering inside Afghanistan to discuss ways to secure peace. He said the Afghan government will also be present and the two sides will try to ease tensions by talking and exchanging ideas.


report: http://www.rferl.org/content/Commission_For_Talks_With_Taliban_Unveils_Program/1516804.html

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