Karzai Seeks Saudi Help in Taliban Talks

Afghan president arrives in Riyadh

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 2, 2010 10:18 AM CST

(Newser) – Hamid Karzai arrived in Riyadh today, hoping to secure Saudi Arabia’s help in peace negotiations with the Taliban. Karzai and his entourage will first make a pilgrimage to Mecca, then meet with King Abdullah tomorrow to discuss the reconciliation process. Abdullah has said his government won’t participate as a mediator unless the Taliban agrees to deny refuge to Osama bin Laden.

The Taliban has been unwilling to negotiate with Kabul, but Karzai hopes they’ll change their tune if the Saudis, one of the few governments to recognize them while they were in power, are involved. A former Saudi diplomat tells Reuters that the country has “a genuine interest to bring peace to Afghanistan because it will help stabilize Pakistan, a strategic ally of the kingdom, and can use its connections with Afghan religious leaders to achieve that.”

Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal and Afghan President Hamid Karzai attend the main session of the World Economic Forum in this 2007 file photo. (Getty Images)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

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RogerMohajir

Feb 2, 2010 5:07 AM CST

If the Saudi government made a genuine commitment to end government and private financial support for the Taliban (and Al Qaeda) in Afghanistan, they certainly could force the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table. Of course, an agreement with the Taliban leadership doesn't address the issue of how to keep their gunmen from going to work for another faction, drug lords, or tribal warlords and causing the same instability that exists now.

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Karzai Seeks Saudi Help in Taliban Talks

Afghan president arrives in Riyadh

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Karzai Seeks Saudi Help in Taliban Talks

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • Taliban • Saudi Arabia • King Abdullah • Riyadh • Hamid Karzai • Mecca • reconciliation • Afghanistan exit strategy

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Afghan Women Dread Peace With Taliban

TIME talks to woman mutilated by militants

Karzai's Peace Plan: Exile Taliban Leaders

Plan calls for "deradicalization" classes, jobs

US, Afghanistan, Taliban: Secret Talks Under Way

Hamid Karzai is in Pakistan today to discuss negotiations

US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

Focus to be on training, special missions, not policing

Sarkozy Wants Out of Afghanistan Next Year

France will withdraw combat troops by the end of 2013

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Newser By Users

Community

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