Taliban reject talks with Karzai

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The Taliban will not accept a role in Afghanistan's government while foreign troops remain in the country, said a spokesman said.

Qari Yusuf Ahmadi said the Taliban has rejected Afghan President Hamid Karzai's offer to negotiate a peaceful role for the militants, the BBC reported Sunday.

"We want the withdrawal of foreign forces and we stand by our position. As long as they have not withdrawn, we'll never talk with the Kabul administration," Ahmadi said shortly after a Taliban bomber killed 30 people in Kabul Saturday.

Karzai had said he wanted to meet with Taliban leader Mullah Omar and warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to talk peace and even offer them cabinet posts, the BBC reported.

Karzai reiterated, however, he would not agree to foreign troop withdrawals.