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Afghan President Says He Sees Hope for Peace

   VOA News 20 October 2010
   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai speaks during a conference in Kabul, 20
   Oct 2010

Photo: AP

   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai speaks during a conference in Kabul, 20
   Oct 2010

   Afghan  President  Hamid Karzai says the hope for peace in Afghanistan
   has  increased,  with  the  war-torn  nation and its allies working to
   improve security over the next two years.
   President  Karzai  did not directly refer to reconciliation talks with
   the  Taliban  during  a  speech  in  Kabul  Wednesday.   But  he said
   Afghanistan's neighbors endorse the peace process.
   The Afghan leader has established a High Peace Council to negotiate an
   end to the nine-year war with the Taliban.
   On  Wednesday,  The New York Times quoted unnamed Afghan officials who
   said  peace  talks involved "extensive, face-to-face discussions" with
   Taliban  commanders.   Afghan  leaders also are said to have met with
   members  of  the  Haqqani  network,  an al-Qaida linked militant group
   responsible for several deadly attacks in Afghanistan.
   The  Taliban  has  publicly  rejected  the  peace dialogue.  But NATO
   leaders  say their forces have facilitated the safe passage of Taliban
   leaders to Kabul for talks.
   This  year  has  been  the deadliest in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led
   invasion in 2001.
   Afghan  officials  say  at least eight civilians were killed Wednesday
   when  their vehicle hit a land mine on a road between Herat and Nimroz
   provinces. At least four others were wounded.
   In  southern  Afghanistan, NATO said a roadside bomb killed one of its
   service members on Wednesday.
   And  Britain's defense ministry said one of its soldiers was killed by
   an  explosion  the  day  before.   The  ministry said the soldier was
   clearing  explosive devices in the southern Helmand province, when the
   blast occurred.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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