Safe passage for Taliban discussed in Pakistan

Associated Press

Officials say Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. have held discussions about providing Taliban leaders safe passage to participate in peace negotiations. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says representatives from the three governments held the inaugural meeting of the Safe Passage Working Group in Islamabad on Wednesday. They agreed to form the group in April. A U.S. official says the group is focused on choosing which Taliban leaders should be provided safe passage, guaranteeing their security and dealing with logistics like visas. The official described the meeting as positive. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the meeting with reporters. Many Taliban leaders are believed to be based in Pakistan. Islamabad is seen as key to peace talks because of its historical ties to the Taliban.