Asks Sharif to set up Taliban talks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked qyesterday to help arrange peace talks between his government and Taliban insurgents, and called for a joint campaign against extremism in both countries.
Karzai was visiting Islamabad to hold his first talks with newly elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, despite a series of public rows that have hampered efforts to end 12 years of war in Afghanistan.
Kabul was infuriated by the opening in June of a Taliban office in Qatar, considered a precursor towards talks with US officials. He now wants Pakistan to help open dialogue with the militia, which has publicly refused all contact with his government.
Elements of the Pakistani state are widely accused of funding, controlling and sheltering the Taliban. Islamabad says publicly it will do anything to stop the fighting in Afghanistan.
Karzai said Afghanistan expected Pakistan to provide opportunities or a platform for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council -- Kabul's official negotiators -- and the Taliban.
"We hope with this on top of our agenda we can move forward in bringing stability and peace to both countries," he told reporters.
In the past, the Afghan leader has identified Taliban havens in Pakistan as the main cause of increased violence in his country.
On Monday he acknowledged that the "continued menace of terrorism" was a primary concern for people in Pakistan, where thousands have been killed in the last decade, as well as in Afghanistan.
"It is this area that needs to have primary and focused attention by both governments," Karzai said.
"It is with hope on this that I have come to Pakistan... to advance the course of action together... but also by having a common campaign against extremism, (to) make sure that the two countries are safer and prosperous towards a secure future."
Sharif wished Afghanistan well in the transition from Nato to Afghan security control and reiterated support for peace and reconciliation to be "Afghan-owned and Afghan-led".
"I assured President Karzai that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible facilitation to the international community's efforts for the realisation of this noble goal," he said.
"I also reaffirmed Pakistan's strong and sincere support for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan."
But there are question marks over what Pakistan can deliver. Analysts say it can encourage and provide logistical support for Taliban peace talks, but cannot force them to negotiate against their will.