British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived Saturday, June 29 in Pakistan, where he met with President Asif Ali Zardari focused on the peace process in Afghanistan, it was officially announced Pakistani source.
"The British prime minister arrived in Islamabad and held talks with the president," said a senior Pakistani government. "The situation in the region, including efforts for peace and reconciliation in neighboring Afghanistan, and economic cooperation between Britain and Pakistan as well as other topics of mutual interest were discussed during the talks, "he said.
During his two-day visit to Islamabad, Mr. Cameron will be discussions with key leaders in the country on many bilateral issues, he added. According to another government official, Mr Cameron will also hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif Sunday.
Mr Cameron had earlier made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, which are still present 7,900 British soldiers. During this visit, he met with NATO troops and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. According to the British embassy in Kabul, Mr Cameron was particularly moved to Camp Bastion, a major base in Helmand, the most volatile province of Afghanistan, located in the south of the country. He said he wanted to ensure the security of the country "with a strong Afghan army and police," while conceding that "there is still a long way to make peace."
TALKS WITH TALIBAN
The British Prime Minister has supported the principle of peace talks with the Taliban, while a British general had earlier regretted that such discussions have not taken place since 2002 when the insurgents were in a weak position.
In 2002, ousted from power in the wake of the September 11 attacks the previous year in the United States, "the Taliban were on the run," said the number two of the international NATO force in Afghanistan (ISAF) British General Nick Carter, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper.
"At this point, if we had been more clairvoyant, we would have noticed that a final political solution (possible) putting all Afghans around a table they plan their future," he added . "One can wonder if the regulation (the conflict) that we implemented after 2001 could have been better," admitted on television Sky News David Cameron.
Read also: Afghanistan: peace was possible in 2002, according to General Carter
OPENING OF A REPRESENTATION OF TALIBAN
His visit comes just over a week after the opening of a political office Doha Taliban, who, despite the hopes raised, has not been followed by any concrete peace negotiations. Mr Cameron said that the opening of this office was "encouraging," insofar as "the Taliban said they did not want that Afghanistan is a threat to other countries," according to comments reported by the BBC.
The search for a peace settlement with the rebels is now a priority for the Afghan government and international powers, climate during an insurgency in many parts and the troops under American command preparing to leave Afghanistan next year. "I think the Taliban (...) beginning to realize they can not play a role in Afghanistan through violence, but by laying down arms and engaging in a political process," said Mr. Cameron during a press conference in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. "This peace process belongs to the Afghans and must be led by Afghans," he added.
The opening of this representation, supposed to encourage talks, nevertheless triggered a diplomatic crisis. President Karzai, furious that this representation which is given the name "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" can be seen as the embassy of a government in exile and the hasty announcement of direct talks between insurgents and Americans, has threatened to boycott any negotiations and suspended talks on a bilateral security agreement with Washington.
The opening of the Taliban office did not prevent the continuing violence in Afghanistan, and insurgents have carried out a spectacular attack in Kabul near the presidential palace and the offices of the CIA, which killed three guards Tuesday, June 25 Afghan.
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