{"id":52355,"date":"2018-09-12T15:27:04","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T15:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/12\/taliban-say-theyre-ready-for-new-round-of-talks-with-us\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:37:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:37:16","slug":"taliban-say-theyre-ready-for-new-round-of-talks-with-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/12\/taliban-say-theyre-ready-for-new-round-of-talks-with-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Taliban say they\u2019re ready for new round of talks with US"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ISLAMABAD \u2014 The Taliban are ready for a second round of talks with the U.S.<\/a>, possibly this month, which is likely to focus on prisoner exchanges, confidence building measures, and ways to move from back-door meetings to formal negotiations, said Taliban officials in separate interviews in recent days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, Taliban officials recounted details of a meeting held in July with Alice Wells<\/a>, Washington\u2019s top envoy to the region<\/a>. One of the officials said the meeting ended with a plan to meet again in September. The U.S. has refused to confirm or deny that meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FILE – This April 6, 2016, file photo shows Alice Wells, the U.S.’s top diplomat for South Asia, during her meeting with Syrian refugees at the International Airport of Amman, Jordan. The Taliban are ready for a second round of talks with the U.S., possibly this month, which is likely to focus on prisoner exchange, confidence building measures, and ways to move from back-door meetings to formal negotiations, said Taliban officials in separate interviews in recent days. Speaking on condition they stay anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the media, Taliban officials recounted details of a meeting held in July with Alice Wells, Washington\u2019s top envoy to the region.(AP Photo\/Raad Adayleh, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both the U.S. and Afghan governments have insisted that talks on Afghanistan\u2019s future would be Afghan-led, while direct talks between Washington and the Taliban \u2014 which the insurgents have long demanded \u2014 are said to be a stepping stone toward Afghan-to-Afghan talks. The Taliban have sought direct talks to settle U.S. concerns about the Taliban\u2019s participation in Afghanistan\u2019s future as well as the presence of NATO and the U.S. forces <\/a>in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press from Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office, said they are waiting on Washington for a second meeting date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the July meeting, the Taliban asked for recognition of their political office in the Qatar capital of Doha as well as an end to restrictions against its top leaders before the start of the formal negotiations, they said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t