Afghans emphasizes talks with Taliban

By Abbas Ali

KABUL, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- As insurgency spreads across larger territory in Afghanistan, the voice for negotiations with militants gets more attention and importance.

Afghan Government has been asking Taliban militants to come for talks and join the process of stabilization in the war-torn country.

President Hamid Karzai recently asked Taliban to join the electoral process and use their right of franchise as a common Afghan.

It remains a question whether common Taliban soldiers will vote in the Presidential and Provincial council elections or not.

At a time when election campaigns are at peak, almost all the 38 candidates while explaining their programs to people emphasizing the importance of talks with Taliban.

Incumbent President Karzai, who apparently leads in the electoral campaigns, has been talking about the process of negotiations with Taliban.

Other top candidates are also of the view to sit and talk with insurgents, while majority of the candidates agreed that military operations are not solution to rooting out insurgency which is spreading and getting stronger with each day.

Other than Afghan leadership, media outlets and intellectuals also emphasize on negotiations.

Despite vast support, there has not been improvement on the process because Taliban and the government have been setting conditions for talks.

For instance, Taliban spokesman has been reiterating withdrawal of foreign troops before any talks, while the government side has been asking militants to lay down arms.

Afghan reformist intellectual Ghulam Hussain Daifoladi says Taliban has not only problems with the presence of foreign troops, but they oppose the Afghan Constitution and the system setup of the Government.