Afghan government and Taliban officials have been talking in Qatar. Neither side now denies that this talking is going on.
Afghan government officials and Taliban militants began two days of meetings on Sunday in the Gulf state of Qatar, and for once neither side denied that the sessions were taking place.
Afghan and Taliban Representatives Meet in Qatar, New York Times
Apparently, they are talking about science.
Both were also quick to insist that they were not holding peace talks. A statement by the Taliban called the meetings a “research conference,” while Afghan government officials described them as “scientific discussions.”
Afghan and Taliban Representatives Meet in Qatar, New York Times
The science and research talks considered a ceasefire in the war.
Taliban representatives met with Afghan political figures for a second day in Qatar on Sunday, and one participant said the two sides discussed a possible ceasefire but ultimately disagreed over the continued presence of U.S. troops in the country.
Taliban, Afghan figures talk ceasefire but fail to agree, Reuters
Considerations of a ceasefire hit the usual sticking point, about the presence of U.S. troops.
"Then the dialogue started openly, and the Afghan delegation and Qayyum Kochai, uncle of (Afghan) President Ashraf Ghani, demanded we stop our fighting and announce a ceasefire. They called us brothers and advised us to come to Afghanistan and obey the Afghan constitution," he said.
The Taliban said they would not stop fighting until all foreign forces left Afghanistan, he said.
The government delegation argued that most foreigners had already left and only trainers remained, who would also leave if the Taliban stopped fighting, he said.
Taliban, Afghan figures talk ceasefire but fail to agree, Reuters
Ashraf Ghani's uncle, mentioned above, would be representing only himself in the talks.
It also insisted that the government delegation would come as individuals in personal capacities.
Afghan and Taliban Representatives Meet in Qatar, New York Times
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."
Qatar says Afghan, Taliban officials to hold 2 days of 'reconciliation' talks in Gulf nation, Associated Press
I am glad that talks have now progressed to the point where no one denies what is going on.