Afghan leader travels to Qatar for Taliban peace talksMarch 24, 2013 - 15:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Afghan President Hamid Karzai will travel to Qatar within days to discuss peace negotiations with the Taliban, the Afghan Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday, March 24 as efforts intensify to find a negotiated solution to the war, now in its 12th year, Reuters said. Karzai's trip to Qatar would represent the first time the Afghan president has discussed the Taliban peace process in Qatar, and comes after years of stalled discussions with the United States, Pakistan and the Taliban. In the past, he has accused the United States of holding talks with the Taliban, without Afghan government involvement. The trip will involve talks about the creation of a Taliban political office in the country's capital, Doha. "President Karzai's trip is the result of an invitation from the Qatari Emir and will involve discussions about mutual cooperation and the (Taliban) peace process", Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai said at a press conference on Sunday. Karzai was expected to travel to Qatar within a week, a senior Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the decade-long war in Afghanistan The Taliban have been waging a bloody decade-long war against America and coalition nations in Afghanistan. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |