Thursday, July 28, 2011 – Mark Sedwill, UK special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan said his country is ready to provide any sort of assistance to the Afghan government in talks with the Taliban.
While speaking during a press conference in Kabul, Britain’s Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mark Sedwill, said there is only one way for the Taliban and that is to hold talks with the Afghan government.
He also urged Afghanistan’s neighboring Pakistan to take necessary actions in order to eliminate insurgent safe havens on its soil.
Mr. Sedwill further added, he has held meetings with Afghan officials to discuss negotiations with the Taliban.
This is his third visit to Afghanistan after he became UK special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Previously, Mr. Mark Sedwill used to work as Nato’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan.
During his visit to Afghanistan, Mr. Sedwill said, “there is an honourable and respectable way of life on earth to you (the Taliban) and you can stop fighting and take it or you can carry on fighting and if you carry on fighting the chance is that either Isaf or Afghan national security forces will capture you at some point.”
He also urged for the capacity building of Afghan security forces before the pull-out of all foreign forces from Afghanistan.
He said, I really understand the concern of Afghan citizens after the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, but withdrawing one foreign soldier means two Afghan soldiers are trained to maintain security in the country.
