Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who called off Afghan participation in the Taliban talks soon after the opening of the Doha office last month, wants the United States to come around his way of thinking, according to a report published in The New York Times on Friday.
The newspaper said the Taliban’s sudden willingness to talk in June looked like a potential coup for American diplomacy and now persuading him to restore his delegation to talks would most likely take more than the United States would be willing to deliver.
“Afghans familiar with Karzai’s thinking say he wants a firm commitment on the number of American troops that would stay in Afghanistan past next year, and a lead role in peace efforts,” it said.
The Afghans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters, said Karzai also wanted a mutual security pact that would compel the US to protect Afghanistan against Pakistan, and, possibly, even take direct military action against Taliban havens on Pakistani soil.
“All of that is rooted in one of Karzai’s core beliefs, according to those who know him: that the central challenge facing his government is not the Taliban insurgency, but rather in bringing the United States around to his way of thinking,” the report noted.