Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Pakistan Ready to Help Afghan Peace Talks VOA News 15 October 2010 Photo: AP Afghan President Hamid Karzai, center, speaks during the inaugural session of the country's new peace council, designed to facilitate talks with the Taliban, in Kabul, 7 Oct. 2010 Pakistan says it is ready to facilitate reconciliation talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to promote peace in the region. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters Friday the peace effort should be mostly an Afghan initiative but that Pakistan is there to help. Islamabad helped the Taliban rise to power in Afghanistan in the 1990s but renounced the movement following the 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. Some U.S. officials say elements of Pakistan's intelligence agency have maintained links with the Taliban to maintain control in Afghanistan. On Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the international force in Afghanistan is willing to provide "practical assistance" for reconciliation efforts. He did not elaborate but noted the alliance will keep up military pressure on the Taliban. Also Friday, two NATO service members died in separate attacks in Afghanistan.  A roadside bombing killed a coalition soldier in the south. NATO did not give details. And the French president's office says a French soldier died on Friday from wounds sustained during a clash in eastern Afghanistan the day before. Eight NATO troops were killed in separate attacks throughout Afghanistan on Friday. This year has been the deadliest for international forces since the start of the nine-year war. More than 40 soldiers have been killed this month. NATO said Friday that coalition forces discovered and destroyed more than 3,000 pounds of homemade explosives in an abandoned building in eastern Ghazni province on Thursday. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. .