Brown rules out talks with Taliban

Gordon Brown today set out plans to secure the long-term stability of Afghanistan, while ruling out talks with the leadership of the Taliban insurgency.

In his Commons statement on the British government’s Afghan policy, the British Prime Minister announced additional development aid, as well as more armoured vehicles and helicopters for British forces.

He also backed efforts by Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, to win over former insurgents who were prepared to give up violence and accept the country’s constitution.

However, Mr Brown – who visited Afghanistan on Monday – made it clear that the process did not extend to the senior Taliban leadership responsible for orchestrating the violence against the international forces in the country.

“We are winning the battle against the insurgency – isolating and eliminating the leadership of the Taliban, not negotiating with them,” he said.

Senior government sources acknowledged that the latest plan, which follows a five-month internal policy review, represented a “shift in emphasis” rather than fundamental change in direction.

While the top Taliban leadership is thought to comprise around a dozen senior figures, the Afghan government has been concentrating its efforts on persuading middle-level commanders to break away from the insurgency with their followers.

So far, 5,000 fighters are said to have laid down their arms.

“This is not a question of negotiating with the Taliban. It is a question of splitting the Taliban,” one government source said.

“This is an Afghan-led effort that has been going on for some time, directly co-ordinated by president Karzai. We are looking to support that effort, not set up some British initiative.”

The British prime minister told MPs that the British military force – concentrated mainly in Helmand province – would remain at 7,800 troops, although it would get 150 additional protected patrol vehicles, as well as extra Sea King helicopters.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said later that it would be sending two additional Royal Navy Sea Kings from next spring while it is looking at a number of options for the new patrol vehicles, including some existing “off-the-shelf” models.

Immediate assistance will also be made available for the strategic town of Musa Qala in Helmand province, recaptured this week from the Taliban by British and Afghan forces.

“This will include a cash-for-work programme for up to 10,000 people and plans to rebuild and refurbish the district centre, the main high school and four mosques,” Mr Brown said.

Meanwhile the Afghan army is to be expanded from 50,000 to 70,000 troops, with the assistance of 340 British military trainers and mentors, as part of the process of enabling the Afghans to take responsibility for their own security.

Government sources acknowledged, however, that it would not be capable of operating autonomously until 2012, and even then would probably need some continued assistance from the international forces.

There will be increased support for local Afghan community defence initiatives made up of volunteers based on the traditional “arbakai”.

Mr Brown also backed calls for the appointment of a new, high-level United Nations envoy in Afghanistan to co-ordinate the entire international effort in Afghanistan.