Qatar says Afghan, Taliban officials to hold 2 days of 'reconciliation' talks in Gulf nation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE -- This June 18, 2013 file photo, shows a general view of the Taliban office in Doha before the official opening in Doha, Qatar. Afghan and Taliban officials will hold two days of "reconciliation" talks in Qatar, the Gulf nation's state news agency reported Saturday, May 2, 2015, although both sides sought to downplay expectations from the meeting. While the Taliban office never opened, Qatar has become a place to open back-channel communication with the Taliban. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal, File) (The Associated Press)
Qatar's state news agency is reporting that Afghan and Taliban officials will be holding two days of "reconciliation" talks in the Gulf nation.
QNA reported that the talks would begin Saturday. It did not identify which officials would be attending the talks.
In a statement, the Taliban earlier identified eight people they said would take part in the talks on their behalf. However, it said the discussions "should not be misconstrued as peace or negotiation talks."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Afghan presidential spokesman Ajmal Abidy says members of the country's High Peace Council would attend the talks in Doha in their "personal capacity only."
Abidy told The Associated Press: "They will meet face to face. Nothing is going on. We have no expectations."
Previous efforts to launch peace talks have failed.