Paris, Aug 3 (DPA) French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has called for dialogue with the Taliban in Afghanistan in an interview published Monday.
“Of course, one has to negotiate with the Taliban, at least those who are prepared to lay down their weapons and talk,” Kouchner told Le Figaro newspaper.
“In addition, the allied forces should coordinate closely” since separate negotiations with the Taliban at local level would have no result, he added.
Kouchner also praised the US’ deployment in Afghanistan, saying: “With (US president) Barack Obama, Americans have changed their strategy. They now understand that the population must be convinced otherwise you lose from the outset.”
With Afghanistan’s presidential elections just three weeks away, security in the country has been tightened.
On Saturday, the 29th French soldier was killed in Afghanistan.
In July alone, 70 foreign soldiers were killed, according to the internet website icasualties.org. More than 90,000 troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and US-led coalition troops are currently stationed in the country.
