We must negotiate with Taliban: Kouchner

(AFP) – 8 hours ago

PARIS — France still supports reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan despite a surge in attacks ahead of the August 20 elections, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in an interview Monday.

"Of course we must negotiate with the Taliban, at least with those who are ready to lay down their weapons and talk," Kouchner told Le Figaro newspaper.

A French soldier was killed Saturday north of Kabul on the same day as three US troops and two Canadians died in attacks. Three more US troops were killed Sunday.

July was the deadliest month in the allies' eight-year campaign against the Taliban, the Islamic militia that was ousted from Kabul by US-led forces in late 2001.

Any attempt to enlist the Taliban in negotiations must be endorsed by the government of President Hamid Karzai, Kouchner said, adding that the worst scenario would be for the allies to be leading separate efforts.

"We want to build peace with the Afghans, I would even say under the leadership of the Afghans," he stressed.

Kouchner said that only Saudi Arabia had been able so far to play a role in brokering talks between the Taliban and Karzai, but that these had not yielded concrete results.

"There are two types of Taliban," he said. "There are those who could take part in a legal government and President Karzai has said he is ready to welcome them to Kabul when they were ready to negotiate.

"And then there are the supporters of global jihad. They are refusing to negotiate."

The Taliban has called on Afghans to boycott the elections and ordered its fighters to block all roads to prevent voters from reaching polling stations on August 20, when presidential and provincial council elections will be held.

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