'', The Associated Press, 31 March 2009

EXCERPT: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered an olive branch Tuesday to Taliban fighters who reject al-Qaida and pressed an international conference for help in strengthening Afghanistan's security forces. Sitting around a horseshoe-shaped table, Clinton said most of the Taliban fighters have allied with anti-government forces 'out of desperation' rather than commitment, in a country that has barely made inroads against poverty and lack of development. Karzai and Clinton said Afghanistan would welcome Taliban fighters who embrace peace and pledge to abide by the Afghan constitution. The United States is starting cautiously down a path in Afghanistan that proved helpful in Iraq, where former insurgents joined forces with U.S. troops and a U.S.-backed government."

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See also:
'The Taliban primer', Himal Southasian, 31 March 2009
'"Talking to the Taliban is pointless"', Radio Netherlands, 31 March 2009
'Afghan Taliban can be split: Expert', Reuters, 31 March 2009
'Pakistan and Afghan Taliban unite as Obama promotes new strategy', The National, 30 March 2009
'Most Afghan Taliban want peace, ex-commander says', Reuters, 29 March 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan clerics call for peace talks', 20 March 2009
'Key Afghan insurgents open door to talks', 18 March 2009
'No peace talks with leader Mullah Omar', 16 March 2009
'Preliminary discussions with Taliban already under way', 11 March 2009
'Afghan Taliban leader rejects Karzai's safety vow', 17 November 2008