Abdullah meets Karzai, urges prompt cut in violence

KABUL (Pajhwok): High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) chairman Abdullah Abdullah on Monday during a meeting with former president Hamid Karzai stressed on immediate reduction in violence.

A statement from the council received by Pajhwok Afghan News said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah met with Hamid Karzai in his office today.

Both discussed the second phase of intra-Afghan talks, recent developments in negotiations and developing national and international consensus for peace.

The statement said Abdullah and Karzai also stressed immediate reduction in violence in the country.

Since the start of the second round of talks on Jan. 5, contact groups of the two sides have met four times. However, they have been unable to make progress on firming up the agenda for formal negotiations.

No official meeting took place between the Taliban and government negotiating teams since last 12 days, but some sources say the two sides held a meeting on Sunday evening and discussed the agenda for talks.

Mds/ma

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