Speaking after meeting David Cameron, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistanand Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari committed to an all-out bid for reconciliation with the insurgents despite years of frustration and scant signs of progress.
With time running out before the 2014 withdrawal of NATO troops, the summit signified a new urgency and willingness by Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together.
The leaders pledged to open a long-promised Afghan office in Qatar and urged the Taliban to do the same, in order for talks to take place.
“All sides agreed on the urgency of this work and committed themselves to take all necessary measures to achieve the goal of a peace settlement over the next six months,” said a statement released by Downing Street.
“The end result should be one in which all Afghans can participate peacefully in the country’s political future.”
The Telegraph