Pak ready to hold talks with ‘reconcilable’ Taliban : Zardari
By ANITuesday, January 26, 2010
ISTANBUL - In a bid to make truce with the Taliban extremists, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has announced that the government is willing to hold talks with those extremists who lay down arms and agree to reconcile.
Interacting with media persons during a joint press conference with his Turkey and Afghan counterparts, Abdullah Gul and Abdul Hamid Karzai, on the sidelines of the fourth trilateral summit, Zardari talked about Pakistan’s ‘3-D’ policy.
“Dialogue, development and deterrence were the three pillars of Pakistan’s 3-D policy,” Zardari said.
When asked that whether Islamabad would enter into a dialogue with the extremists, who have been striking in the country at their will, he said raging ‘war’ against the militants would not resolve issues.
“We cannot distance ourselves from dialogue and talk about only war.If there are people who want to give up their way of life and are reconcilable, the government will talk to them,” The Daily Times quoted Zardari, a saying.
Echoing Zardari, Karzai said his government would be willing to enter into talks with those Taliban who are ready to lay down their weapons.
Karzai said that his government might also request the UN Security Council to remove such groups from the list of those identified for sanctions.
In a joint declaration after the summit, the three countries reiterated their determination to tackle terrorism in all its forms and the importance of enhancing indigenous capacities to that effect. (ANI)
