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Afghan President Says He Sees Hope for Peace

20 October 2010 20:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the hope for peace in Afghanistan has increased, with the war-torn nation and its allies working to improve security over the next two years, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

President Karzai did not directly refer to reconciliation talks with the Taliban during a speech in Kabul Wednesday. But he said Afghanistan’s neighbors endorse the peace process.

The Afghan leader has established a High Peace Council to negotiate an end to the nine-year war with the Taliban.

On Wednesday, The New York Times quoted unnamed Afghan officials who said peace talks involved "extensive, face-to-face discussions" with Taliban commanders. Afghan leaders also are said to have met with members of the Haqqani network, an al-Qaida linked militant group responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has publicly rejected the peace dialogue. But NATO leaders say their forces have facilitated the safe passage of Taliban leaders to Kabul for talks.

This year has been the deadliest in Afghanistan since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001.

Afghan officials say 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed when their vehicle hit a land mine in western Nimroz province. At least four others were wounded.

In southern Afghanistan, NATO said a roadside bomb killed one of its service members on Wednesday.

And Britain’s defense ministry said one of its soldiers was killed by an explosion the day before. The ministry said the soldier was clearing explosive devices in southern Helmand province, when the blast occurred.