According to the The New York Times, Aimal Faizi, Karzai's spokesman, confirmed that the President has met secretly with the Taliban in recent months to discuss a possible reconciliation agreement. He claimed the talks were positive and the most serious step in contacts with the Taliban since the war began in 2001.
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But the news is likely to only further aggravate tensions between Kabul and Washington, which reached an all-time low at the start of the new year.
Stalled negotiations over a Kabul-Washington security pact and butting heads over prisoner releases and civilian casualties have been the flash points of conflict between the two governments, but as Karzai's secret meetings suggest, much more has been going on beneath the surface.
Faizi said the Taliban have been pleased with the stance President Karzai has taken on the Kabul-Washington Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), which could indicate that Karzai, as the NATO combat mission draws to an end this year, is perhaps more concerned about closing the gap with the Taliban than keeping the one between him and Washington from opening up more.
In this episode of Farakhabar, host Yama Siawash discusses the topic with the following guests:
Amin Farhang, political analyst
Ahmad Sayedi, political analyst