Kerry: US, Afghanistan Agree on Taliban Peace Talks
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "on the same page"
with its Afghan allies when it comes to peace talks with the Taliban.
Kerry made his comments Monday alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. The top U.S. diplomat had arrived on an unannounced visit earlier in the day.
Kerry said he was confident President Karzai "does not believe the U.S. has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace."
Earlier this month, President Karzai made headlines when he suggested that Washington and the Taliban were colluding against Afghanistan -- a claim the United States and NATO strongly condemned.
Karzai had made those remarks as U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was visiting Afghanistan for the first time in his new job. A joint press conference with the two men was canceled shortly thereafter, officially due to security concerns.
But for his part Monday, President Karzai said it "was a good day" as the United States transferred the last of its Afghan prisoners held by the U.S. military to the Afghan government.
Before Kerry's visit, U.S. State Department officials said they were confident that the most dangerous prisoners will continue to be held securely and humanely in Afghanistan.
Monday marked the day Afghanistan took full control of the Parwan detention facility, located near the U.S. Bagram military base, from U.S. authorities. The transfer was scheduled to happen earlier this month, but was abruptly canceled just before the ceremony was to begin.
At the time, a NATO spokesman said that the transfer would proceed once the two sides had reached what he called a "full agreement."
A deal was finally clinched Saturday in a phone conversation between U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Karzai.
Washington partly transferred the high-security prison and around 3,000 suspected Taliban fighters to Afghan control last year.
However, Afghanistan's full control of the detention facility has been repeatedly delayed because of U.S. concerns that hundreds more Taliban fighters still in U.S. custody would be released.
Monday's transfer of control of the detention facility comes a day after Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry announced that President Karzai will visit Qatar to discuss the possibility of opening a Taliban office in the Gulf state.
Authorities say an office for the militants could help facilitate the negotiation of an end to the 11-year war in Afghanistan.
The meeting in Qatar is expected to take place within the next few weeks.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-us-afghanistan-agree-on-taliban-peace-talks/1628278.html
Kerry made his comments Monday alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. The top U.S. diplomat had arrived on an unannounced visit earlier in the day.
Kerry said he was confident President Karzai "does not believe the U.S. has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace."
Earlier this month, President Karzai made headlines when he suggested that Washington and the Taliban were colluding against Afghanistan -- a claim the United States and NATO strongly condemned.
Karzai had made those remarks as U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was visiting Afghanistan for the first time in his new job. A joint press conference with the two men was canceled shortly thereafter, officially due to security concerns.
But for his part Monday, President Karzai said it "was a good day" as the United States transferred the last of its Afghan prisoners held by the U.S. military to the Afghan government.
Before Kerry's visit, U.S. State Department officials said they were confident that the most dangerous prisoners will continue to be held securely and humanely in Afghanistan.
Monday marked the day Afghanistan took full control of the Parwan detention facility, located near the U.S. Bagram military base, from U.S. authorities. The transfer was scheduled to happen earlier this month, but was abruptly canceled just before the ceremony was to begin.
At the time, a NATO spokesman said that the transfer would proceed once the two sides had reached what he called a "full agreement."
A deal was finally clinched Saturday in a phone conversation between U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Karzai.
Washington partly transferred the high-security prison and around 3,000 suspected Taliban fighters to Afghan control last year.
However, Afghanistan's full control of the detention facility has been repeatedly delayed because of U.S. concerns that hundreds more Taliban fighters still in U.S. custody would be released.
Monday's transfer of control of the detention facility comes a day after Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry announced that President Karzai will visit Qatar to discuss the possibility of opening a Taliban office in the Gulf state.
Authorities say an office for the militants could help facilitate the negotiation of an end to the 11-year war in Afghanistan.
The meeting in Qatar is expected to take place within the next few weeks.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-us-afghanistan-agree-on-taliban-peace-talks/1628278.html
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