Karzai willing to talk with Taliban

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he would be willing to talk with Taliban leaders who publicly renounce violence and endorse peace.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai answers questions during an interview with The Associated Press, Monday, July 27, 2009, in Kabul,  Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Less than a month away from an attempt at a second term in office, Karzai also announced that he wanted new rules governing the conduct of US-led forces in Afghanistan.

In an interview in which he acknowledged shaky relations with his international partners in the war on terror, Karzai refused to discuss a key Taliban demand.

That is, a timetable for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. He also expressed his desire for dialogue with Taliban members not affiliated with al-Qaida or foreign intelligence agencies.

Karzai says the presence of US and international forces is in the Afghan national interest but should be based on a new contract that minimizes civilian casualties, limits searches of private homes and restricts the ability to detain Afghans indefinitely without charge.