KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Any peace talks with the Afghan Taliban must include the Afghan government, U.S. special envoy Marc Grossman said in Kabul.
Grossman met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday amid concerns in Kabul about the United States negotiating with the Taliban without Afghans in Qatar where the Taliban plan to open an office.
Speaking at a news conference in Kabul, where he stopped before proceeding to Qatar, Grossman stressed the need for inclusion of Afghans in any peace talks, noting, "Only Afghans can decide the future of Afghanistan," The New York Times reported.
The ambassador said Qatar needs to talk to the Afghans about the proposed Taliban office, and that the United States needs to talk to Pakistan, the report said.
Grossman, whose request to visit Pakistan on the current trip was put off by Islamabad, said the Taliban also still need to clarify their intention to participate in peace talks.
"The peace process is a comprehensive and large and complicated set of issues," he was quoted as saying.
U.S. officials have said any peace talks with the Afghan Taliban must be "Afghan-led" and such talks can resume only after Karzai gives his approval. The earlier direct talks collapsed in December after Karzai reportedly decided not to go along with them.
Afghans are concerned the new effort through Qatar could mean they might not be included even though the Taliban have yet to clarify the Qatar office would be used specifically for peace talks.
The Wall Street Journal quoted Afghan officials as saying Qatar has not kept the Karzai administration informed about its contacts with the Taliban leadership.
Grossman said the Taliban also would need to publicly renounce their links with international terror groups before peace talks are held, the Times said. The United States also has not made any decision about meeting another Taliban condition about releasing prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The Journal report said the Taliban don't recognize Karzai's government and would only meet with U.S. officials.
