Afghanistan suspends talks after US-Taliban move

Afghanistan has suspended talks under way in Kabul on a bilateral security agreement with the US. A spokesman for President Hamid Karzai said the decision was taken in protest over inconsistencies in proposed US direct talks with the Taliban. The row centres on the name given to the Taliban office, which opened in Qatar on Tuesday, the spokesman said. US-Afghan talks are to determine the nature of US military presence after foreign troops withdraw in 2014. "There is a contradiction between what the US government says and what it does regarding Afghanistan peace talks," President Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi said. "The president suspended the talks with the US this morning," said Mr Faizi. "The president is not happy with the name of the office. We oppose the title the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan' because such a thing doesn't exist". "The US was aware of the president's stance." The move comes a day after the US announced it would open direct peace talks with the Taliban. President Karzai had said his government would also send delegates to Qatar to talk to the Taliban.