Afghans call for Taliban peace talks

The Afghan peace conference today called on the government to take formal steps toward negotiating with insurgents.

Around 1,500 delegates from across the country backed resolutions intended to lay groundwork for peace talks between the government and Taliban and other militant groups.

Deputy chairman Qiamuddin Kashaf read the final statement of the conference that said the government should establish a “framework for negotiations” as a first step.

They said militants who joined the peace process should be removed from a UN blacklist, and that insurgents who want to take part must cut their ties with foreign terrorist groups.