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                     Afghanistan Suspends US Security Talks

   by VOA News

   Afghanistan has suspended negotiations with the U.S. on a bilateral
   security deal in a disupte over proposed U.S. talks with the Taliban.
   A statement from Afghanistan's National Security Council Wednesday
   cited "the contradition between acts and the statements made" by the
   U.S. in regard to the peace process.
   The U.S. talks with Afghanistan are focused on what American and
   coalition security forces will remain in the country after 2014.
   On Tuesday, the U.S. announced it was opening formal talks with the
   Taliban on Thursday in Doha, the capital of the Persian Gulf country of
   Qatar, in a push to establish a framework for ending more than a decade
   of war in Afghanistan.
   Hours later, an attack on Bagram air base killed four U.S. soldiers.
   The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the group
   fired two rockets into the base.
   [1]Related - Taliban Claim Killing of 4 US Troops
   Officials say Senior U.S. State Department and White House officials
   are expected to meet in Doha with a Taliban delegation, in what
   authorities are describing as preliminary talks.
   President Barack Obama, speaking Tuesday at a G8 summit in Northern
   Ireland, called the Qatar talks "a very early first step," and
   cautioned that he expects "there will be a lot of bumps in the road.".
   Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government was not expected to
   participate in the initial round of the Doha talks.  To date, the
   Taliban has refused to talk publicly with the Karzai government.
   [2]Related - US, Afghanistan to Hold Talks with Taliban
   President Karzai said Tuesday his government will send envoys to Qatar
   to try to open peace talks in Kabul with the Taliban.
   "The principles are that the talks, having begun in Qatar, must
   immediately be moved to Afghanistan; second, that the talks must bring
   about an end to violence in Afghanistan; third, that the talks must not
   become a tool for any third country for exploitation with regard to its
   or their interests in Afghanistan," he said.
   Karzai commented in Kabul, during a ceremony in which Afghan forces
   took over responsibility for security for the entire country from the
   NATO military coalition set to leave the country next year.
   Foreign policy expert John Feffer of the Institute for Policy Studies
   said it appears there is some resistance to talks within the ranks of
   the Taliban, with some members of the group taking a wait-and-see
   attitude.
   "They are interested in seeing who will emerge to replace Karzai and
   they are interested in seeing how much control they can get on the
   ground, especially with the increased violence that has taken place
   recently," said Feffer.
   Earlier Tuesday, a senior U.S. official said the Taliban and other
   insurgent groups need to break ties with al-Qaida, end violence and
   accept Afghanistan's constitution, for the reconciliation process to
   move forward.
   He also said leaders in neighboring Pakistan understand there can be no
   stability in their country without stability in Afghanistan.  The
   official said Pakistan's support of the peace process is in keeping
   with its national interests.
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   [3]http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-suspends-us-security-talk
   s/1684643.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/taliban-claim-killing-of-4-us-troops/1684631.html
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-forces-take-over-security-responsibility/1683817.html
   3. http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-suspends-us-security-talks/1684643.html