WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House said on Monday there were no positive signals from fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar or his insurgent forces after an offer of reconciliation made by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
"We're not seeing any indication from Mullah Omar that he is ready to renounce violence, break all ties to Al-Qaeda and support the Afghan government and constitution," said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman.
"No one has heard from Mullah Omar in some time, and given attacks like last week's when some Taliban threw acid on girls going to school, many don't seem to show a willingness to negotiate," he said.
While "we're hopeful that reconcilable Taliban will lay down their arms and choose to play a productive part in Afghan society ... sadly, so far, they continue to attack innocents civilians and coalition forces on a regular basis," he said.
Johndroe's comments came after Karzai said on Sunday he would go to "any length" to protect Mullah Omar if the Taliban leader agreed to peace talks.
The Afghan president has for years pushed for peace talks with the Taliban as a way out of a deadly insurgency in which foreign militants, including those from Al-Qaeda, are said to be playing a part.
However he has always insisted that his government would only consider talks with "Afghan Taliban" who do not have ties with Al-Qaeda and agree to lay down their weapons and accept the post-Taliban constitution.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, meanwhile said holding negotiations with elements of the Taliban should be part of a long-term strategy but it was not the right time for such a move.
"At some point in time, we get to a point in these insurgencies where you peel off the reconcilables and I think you start having conversations with those who are reconcilable," Mullen said.
"At least from my perspective, we're not there yet," he said.
Mullen said the same approach was used successfully in Iraq and in counter-insurgency efforts elsewhere, saying that it was "very realistic" to pursue talks with insurgents in Afghanistan.
"It's happened in other insurgencies historically, and I think it will happen here, as well."
Asked about possible talks with Mullah Omar, Mullen said: "I'll leave that up to President Karzai."
The Afghan president told reporters he would offer the protection to the Taliban leader even if it meant defying Afghanistan's international partners, who could remove him from his job or leave the country in disagreement.
"If I hear from him that he is willing to come to Afghanistan or to negotiate for peace ... I, as the president of Afghanistan, will go to any length to provide protection," Karzai said.
"If I say I want protection for Mullah Omar, the international community has two choices -- remove me or leave if they disagree," he said.
The Taliban, driven from government in a US-led invasion for sheltering Al-Qaeda after the September 2001 attacks, have said they would only agree to negotiations if international troops helping the government pull out.
But Karzai reiterated Sunday that his government would accept no preconditions from the group.
Johndroe stressed Monday: "We have good relations with the government of Afghanistan. President Karzai is committed to making Afghanistan a secure, stable democracy and we and the international community must continue to show our support."
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack struck a more cautious note.
"It's hard to imagine" any circumstances under which US forces would offer safe passage to senior Taliban leaders, McCormack told reporters.
Saudi Arabia confirmed last month that it had been sponsoring talks between the Afghan government and representatives of the Taliban at the request of Karzai in a bid to restore stability but indicated further talks may be difficult.
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