US allows Taliban to open office in Qatar

The office of the self-styled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would be the first internationally recognised representation for the Taliban since it was ousted from power in the US-led invasion in 2001, the Times reported.

The United States has endorsed the move, the paper said quoting western diplomats. The diplomat said that it was hoped that allowing the opening up of a Taliban office in Qatar would push forward the peace talks initiated earlier, intended to reconcile the Taliban insurgents with the Afghan government to bring an end to a decade long war.

"It will be an address where they have a political office. it will not be an embassy or a consulate but a residence where they can work like a political party," the diplomat told the Times.

Washington while giving the go-ahead to the plans had insisted that such an office be located "outside Pakistan's sphere of influence", the paper said.

But diplomats insisted that Taliban would not be allowed to use the office to "raise funds".
Times said that Taliban had agreed to the proposal as it was seeking assurance that its representatives would be free from the threat of harassment or arrest.