THIS past weekend brought with it more talks about talks with the Afghan Taliban, said the Dawn newspaper in Pakistan in an editorial, noting Afghan President Hamid Karzai's remarks Saturday that the US-led discussions have not only begun but are “going well”. Excerpts: The remarks came a day after the UN split the sanctions regime, separating Taliban elements from Al-Qaeda — a move that may have stemmed from negotiations. But US Defence Secretary Robert Gates quickly reined in expectations. The talks, he said Sunday, were “very preliminary” and could begin in earnest once the Taliban felt the pressure on the combat front. These mixed signals over the weekend have continued to shroud the reconciliation process in mystery. Rumors of contact have been appearing for several months, and in May a major US newspaper reported that “direct talks” had been “accelerated”. However, the truth of the matter remains beyond reach, not only on the status of talks but also about the goals and terms of engagement. Multiple US strategies for Afghanistan have failed, including the attempt to separate the “good” Taliban from the “bad”. The confusing public signals sent out by American and Afghan leaders do not inspire confidence in the current reconciliation effort. A suicide bombing claimed by the Taliban took place in Kabul the day Karzai made his remarks: what do such incidents mean for the talks? The end result would likely have to be the inclusion of the Taliban in a political set-up; if so, would they agree to a coalition government, especially given Mullah Omar`s title of amirul momineen ? What would the repercussions be for Afghan society, including women and minorities? Would the American troop withdrawal have to be speeded up? And what are the roles of the different players in these talks? On Saturday, Karzai seemed to be distancing himself from the process, saying that “foreign forces”, including the US, were “carrying out the talks themselves”, and that Pakistan`s help was very important. How will room be created for Afghan buy-in if other countries are taking the lead? What appears to be relatively clear is that the US realizes that the talks are now necessary. But the multitude of questions that remain unanswered will make it difficult for American, Afghan and even Pakistani leaders to garner public support for the reconciliation process or for America's military strategy in Afghanistan, which will be affected by any peace process. The engagement next door has gone on for too long and has created havoc in the region. It is time to publicly shed some light on a process that might be the only hope for an end to the violence. __
