Afghan govt agrees to Taliban-US talks

The government of Afghanistan Wednesday gave its blessing to peace talks between Taliban insurgents and the United States and to the opening of an office for the Islamists in Qatar. "Afghanistan, to save the country from war, conspiracies, the killing of innocent people and to reach peace, agrees with the negotiations between US and Taliban that will end up in creating an office for Taliban in Qatar," the government said in a statement. The hardline Taliban announced on Tuesday that they had come to an "initial agreement with relevant sides including Qatar" to set up their first representative office outside Afghanistan. The move is seen as a precursor to talks to end the bloody war between the Taliban and the US-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. The statement said the government "considers negotiations the only way to reach peace and end the war and violence that have been imposed on our people".