The U.S. will meet the Taliban in Doha, Qatar for talks aimed at achieving peace in Afghanistan where the United States has battled the insurgents for 12 years, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters. The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the Taliban would issue a statement on Tuesday opposing the use of Afghan soil for attacks on other countries, and that they support an Afghan soil for attacks on other countries and that they support an Afghan peace process.
The U.S. hopes the Taliban breaks ties with al Qaeda, end violence, accept the Afghan constitution, including protection for minorities and women.
"This is but the first in what will be a long road," one U.S. official said.
The first formal meeting involving U.S. and Taliban is scheduled to be "in a couple of days" in Doha, the U.S. officials said. The meetings between the Afghan government and the Taliban is expected a few days thereafter.
Officials indicate that the trust between the Taliban and the Afghan government are low, and could take years before a breakthrough in the talks would be expected.
U.S. officials said the goal was to ensure that Afghanistan does not remain a haven for terrorism and to defeat aThe planned talks follow discussions between President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in January, officials added, as also reported by Reuters.
"This is a key milestone on the way to the complete transition of responsibility for security to Afghans by the end of next year," a senior U.S. administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said via conference call after the announcement was made.
As for the American government's role in the talks, the United States "will have a role in direct talks, but this is a negotiation that will have to be led by Afghans," one official said.
"We're very pleased with what has taken place," Secretary of State John Kerry said.
