Secretary Clinton nods Taliban negotiations, denies Iranian assassination

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Tuesday acknowledged support for Afghan-led negotiations with Taliban and talks about opening a Taliban office in Qatar according to the top U.S. diplomat.

Addressing journalists after her meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We are prepared to support an Afghan-led process of reconciliation, and we will participate in that in support of the Afghans if we believe it holds promise for an end to the conflict (in Afghanistan).”

Thanking Qatar, Clinton said, “We have worked to help establish a reconciliation process and real negotiations, and we have been very grateful for the assistance that the Government of Qatar has provided.”

Confirming reports about a Taliban office in Qatar, Clinton said, “The positive statements last week from both President Karzai and the Taliban demonstrate that there is support for such discussions for the political office to open in Qatar.”

“We are still in the preliminary of testing whether this can be successful,” said Clinton, reiterating U.S. commitment to “the red lines that we have consistently laid out, namely that both the Afghan Government and the international community must see the insurgents renounce violence, break with al-Qaida, and support the laws and constitution of Afghanistan, including protecting the rights of women and minorities.”

Qatari minister echoed her sentiments saying, “About the office of Taliban, as you know, Qatar is trying to be peaceful messengers or peaceful ambassadors, and we are trying to do this with all our capacity.”

“Any opportunity we can help our friends to try to find a mutual ground to start a negotiation and dialogue, we think this is the best opportunity to solve the tension in our region,” added the visiting minister.

U.S. is moving ahead with these negotiations at a brisk pace as Clinton is sending her envoy to both Afghanistan and Qatar.

Appearing along with Jabor Al Thani at the State Department, Clinton said, “I’ve asked our Special Representative, Ambassador Marc Grossman, to go to Afghanistan next week to continue our consultations with the Afghans, and also to go to Qatar to continue our consultations with our partners in Qatar.”

On the question of release of Taliban prisoners held at the Guantanamo prison, Clinton noted no decision had been made yet, saying, “We have not made any decisions about releasing any Taliban from Guantanamo.”

On the reports about Iranian accusations about a U.S. hand in the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist, Secretary Clinton said, “I want to categorically deny any United States involvement in any kind of act of violence inside Iran.”

Clinton labeled Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz as of “provocative and dangerous nature,” and cautioned Tehran saying, “This is an international waterway. The United States and others are committed to keeping it open. It’s part of the lifeline that keeps oil and gas moving around the world. And it’s also important to speak as clearly as we can to the Iranians about the dangers of this kind of provocation.”

---