Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Qatar has formally hosted Afghanistan’s Taliban
movement, long aligned with Al Qaida.

The Gulf Cooperation Council emirate has announced the establishment of
a Taliban presence, which included an office in Doha. In a statement, the
Qatari Foreign Ministry said the emirate viewed the Taliban presence as
a means to help end the war in Afghanistan.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry statement came after a meeting between
Karzai and President Barack Obama in Washington. A White House statement quoted Karzai and Obama
as saying they would support an office in Doha for peace negotiations.

“In this context, the leaders called on the armed opposition to join a
political process, including by taking those steps necessary to open a
Taliban office,” the White House said. “They urged the government of Qatar
to facilitate this effort.”

“[It will] to facilitate efforts to hold talks with the concerned
parties to achieve security and peace in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Ministry said on late Jan. 14.

Arab diplomats said Taliban opened an office in Doha in 2011 as part of U.S.-led efforts to end the war in Afghanistan. But they said the office, which contained four Taliban members, maintained a low profile to avoid protests by the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

“The United States and others will withdraw in 2014, and I think it’s an
important core ideal that at least there is a political process in place, to
have stability,” Qatari Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani said on Jan. 15. “Our aim is to help our Afghan brothers and find a solution accepted by all, or most, parties.”

The White House statement acknowledged that Taliban retained ties with
Al Qaida. Qatar has been regarded as a leading supporter of Al Qaida-aligned
or -inspired rebels in such countries as Libya and Syria.

  Al Qaida, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, Hamid Karzai, Qatar establishes Taliban office in Doha, White House backs Qatar role in mediating Taliban deal