U.S. Envoy Calls On Pakistan To Support Afghan Reconciliation

U.S. envoy Marc Grossman

U.S. envoy Marc Grossman has called on Pakistan to support peace and reconciliation efforts between Taliban militants and the government in neighboring Afghanistan, saying Pakistan has a "unique" and "important" role to play.

Grossman, Washington's special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, spoke on August 2 in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where he held trilateral talks with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawid Ludin and the deputy head of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, Salman Bashir.

"From my perspective, this core group [of the three countries] highlights the unique role, the important role, that Pakistan must play in supporting this reconciliation process," Grossman said.

Pakistan's army and intelligence services have historically had links to the Taliban, and Islamic militants have used safe havens in Pakistan's tribal areas near the Afghan border.

The U.S.-Afghan-Pakistan talks come with the United States now beginning its planned withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan that is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.