Afghan Officials, Taliban Reportedly Have Held Secret Talks

Taliban representatives reportedly have held secret talks with representatives of President Hamid Karzai to try to restart a stalled peace initiative. A spokesman for Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Shahzada Shahed, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the council is in secret contacts with a number of Taliban leaders both inside and outside the country. One of the Taliban's representatives at their political office in Doha, Qatar told AP that talks with the High Peace Council have already begun. Talks involving the United States to end the 12-year war in Afghanistan were planned after the opening of the Taliban office in Doha in June. The initiative stalled after Karzai complained over the Taliban use of the name and flag it used during their five year rule in Afghanistan.