Taliban: Karzai in talks with Hekmatyar,were not in

The Hezb-i-Islami team,which included the son-in-law of the groups fugitive leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar,brought a 15-point peace plan including a call for all foreign troops to withdraw this year. But the main prize would be talks with the Taliban themselves,more powerful than at any time since they were driven from Kabul in 2001.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his movement,which refers to itself as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,the countrys name when it ruled from 1996-2001,had not altered its position: that no talks could be held until troops withdraw. There will be no talks when there are foreign troops killing innocent Afghans on daily basis, Mujahid said.