karzai calls pakistan to facilitate peace talks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged Pakistan “to facilitate peace talks” between his country and the Taliban during a visit to Islamabad.He said the Pakistani government could provide opportunities for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council and the militants.Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he wanted to help regional efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.Mr Karzai has extended his stay to allow talks with Pakistan to continue.
BBC’added that his decision is a surprise development as the president seeks Mr Sharif’s help in bringing the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table.Officials say that the fact that Mr Karzai’s talks in Islamabad will continue on Tuesday – when he will meet Mr Sharif again – indicates that so far they have gone well and that the two sides have something concrete to talk about.In their public statements after their talks, both Mr Sharif and Mr Karzai mentioned the problem of militant violence – although Mr Karzai focused much more on it.Lack of security was the main concern for both neighbouring countries, the president said.Three times in his brief speech Mr Karzai said that a joint fight against militancy was needed and that he pinned “great hopes” on the re-elected Mr Sharif, who came back to power in June.