Posted on 02/02/2010 1:00:45 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Afghan President Hamid Karzai left for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss his reintegration plan aimed at persuading Taliban militants to switch sides.
Saudi Arabia was one of the few countries that recognized the Taliban regime before it was ousted in 2001 and Saudi leaders have acted as intermediaries previously.
The U.S.-backed leader, who was heading a delegation that includes new Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul and key religious leaders, planned to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, then meet with King Abdullah. The two leaders will discuss Afghanistan, the region and possible "solutions for reconciliation," according to a statement from his office.
The Afghan government has announced plans to offer jobs and other economic incentives to militants willing to "cut ties with al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and pursue their political goals peacefully." The Taliban have dismissed the offer, saying fighters won't be swayed until foreign troops leave the country.
Karzai has said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — which worked together to facilitate the rise of the radical Islamic movement in the 1990s — would play a key role in the reintegration process. The kingdom pledged an additional $150 million in aid to Afghanistan at last week's London conference.
"This role we're seeking is not only for talks with the Taliban. It's a broader role that we're seeking, which is for peace-building in Afghanistan, for improved relations with our nations and for reconstruction and assistance," he said Sunday at a news conference.
The Afghan leader will travel Thursday to Munich for a security conference.
Meanwhile, tensions rose over the killings of five Afghan laborers who were allegedly shot to death by Iranian border guards while trying to enter the neighboring country without proper documents.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The Taliban is never going to be weaned from troublemaking. That’s because it is a problem on the cosmic, spiritual level.
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