Afghan president to launch peace council for dialogue with Taliban

KABUL, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday announced a plan to form a peace council, aimed at accelerating the reconciliation process with Taliban militants.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai addresses a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Jan. 31, 2010. Karzai on Sunday called on Taliban militants to give up fighting against his government and go back to normal life. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)

"To bring peace and accelerate the reconciliation process, we are determined to form the High Council of Peace and Reconciliation," Karzai told a press conference here at the Presidential Palace.

He said the members of the peace council will be governmental officials and tribal elders.

He also disclosed the plan to call a national Jirga, or a national assembly, on peace in the near future to discuss on the ways of implementation of the peace process.

Karzai, at the press briefing, repeated his offer for talks with Taliban and called on the insurgent group and other anti- government elements to renounce violence and accept the country's constitution.

"We continue our efforts for talks with those Taliban who are not part of al-Qaida network and accept the constitution," said the president.

However, the president said his peace offer will not extend to anyone within the al-Qaida, saying that "our policy for the al- Qaida and other terrorist groups is clear fighting and foiling, but no talks."

Karzai has made dialogue offer to the Taliban before, but the group rejected the offer, noting that there will be no dialogue with the Afghan administration in the presence of foreign troops in the country.