No breakthrough in Afghanistan-Pakistan talks

KABUL, Dec 8: Security talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan ended today without a breakthrough on planned tribal councils to stem the growing Taliban insurgency, at its bloodiest along the lawless border between the two nations.

A key point of dispute is Kabul's desire for all Afghan tribes to be involved in the councils, or jirgas, and Islamabad's preference for only those from the affected frontier lands -- mainly the Pashtun from which the Taliban draw its base.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri arrived in Kabul yesterday for the talks on the jirgas and border security, but by the time main discussions ended on Friday there was still no concrete plan.

Kasuri told a joint news conference Afghanistan would hand him its outline of ideas in the few hours before he left for Islamabad and that Pakistan would respond soon.

The jirgas, long urged by traditional leaders and some MPs on both sides, were agreed on when Karzai and Musharraf met President George W Bush in Washington in September.

''Based on the fact that both countries have different systems and mechanisms, both sides agreed on the common objectives to promoting peace, security and prosperity,'' Kasuri and his counterpart, Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, said in a joint statement.

TART WORDS Some Afghan and Pakistani leaders say elements of the Taliban must be included if there is ever to be any peace. Afghanistan and Pakistan have exchanged tart words over the extent of support for the Taliban and other militants from inside Pakistan.

Some senior Afghan officials accuse Islamabad of not doing enough to stop them, others say Pakistan still sponsors its former protege in a bid to destabilise its struggling neighbour.

Pakistan says it is doing everything it can to suppress the militants, who also attack Pakistani forces. Afghanistan's Western allies, including the United States, say the Taliban are being boosted by the ability to find shelter in Pakistan, as well as money from Afghanistan's massive illegal opium trade.

''If there is act of terrorism in Afghanistan, it will impact Pakistan, too.'' Kasuri said.

''History tells us that peace and stability in Afghanistan, or the absence of peace and stability in Afghanistan -- either way -- has a positive or negative impact on Pakistan.'' Much of the border passes through rugged and largely uncontrolled land and the Taliban, other militants, smugglers and drug runners cross easily.

The Taliban-led insurgency and operations by foreign troops have killed almost 4,000 people including about 1,000 civilians and more than 160 foreign soldiers this year.

NATO, which leads a 32,000-strong security force, and Afghan and foreign analysts have warned failure to follow up military victories with a better life for ordinary people threatens the future of popular support for the international mission here.

REUTERS