Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday expressed support for continued dialogue with Pakistan over a political settlement on the Afghan conflict. In a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, Karzai said Afghanistan would continue to engage with Pakistan. “We will continue our joint efforts with Pakistan in support of the peace process until the anti-government armed opposition groups agree to negotiate,” Karzai said during the meeting, according to a press statement released by his office.
The comments came amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan over recent alleged Pakistani military attacks on Afghan border areas. Karzai was in New York to address the 67th annual meeting of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. He is expected to meet with Pakistani and British officials on the sidelines of the meeting. A senior US official, briefing reporters in Washington, said the US supports talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The goal in the reconciliation effort is to get Afghans speaking with other Afghans about the future of Afghanistan,” he said while requesting anonymity.
