Panetta says U.S. to end Afghan combat role as soon as 2013 (01.02.2012)

(Quelle:New York Times)

In a major milestone toward ending a decade of war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday that American forces would step back from a combat role there as early as mid-2013, more than a year before all American troops are scheduled to come home.

Afghan officials consider own talks with Taliban (30.01.2012)

(Quelle:New York Times)

Concerned that it is being left out of potential peace talks between the United States and the Taliban, the Afghan government is pushing to open its own direct negotiations with the insurgent group in Saudi Arabia, Afghan officials said on Monday.

Afghanistan to press Pakistan for access to Taliban (30.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reuters)

Afghanistan will press Pakistan for access to Taliban leaders during a one-day visit to Kabul by Pakistan's foreign minister, with Afghan officials hoping to ease cross-border strains and lay the ground for peace negotiations with the insurgents.

France, breaking with NATO, will speed Afghan exit (27.01.2012)

(Quelle:New York Times)

President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on Friday that France would break with its allies in NATO and accelerate the French withdrawal from Afghanistan, pulling back combat troops a year early, by the end of 2013.

Karzai meets Sarkozy as French threaten early pullout (26.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reuters AlertNet)

The French president last week suspended all French training and support operations on the ground and sent his defence minister and armed forces chief to Kabul after four of their soldiers were killed by a rogue Afghan soldier.

Talks with Taliban a long way off, American envoy says (22.01.2012)

No peace talks with the Taliban this week: That was the short message on Sunday from the American envoy charged with starting those negotiations.

Pakistan to re-open NATO routes to Afghanistan – official (19.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reuters AlertNet)

Pakistan expects to re-open supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan, halted after a NATO cross-border air attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, but will impose tariffs, a senior security official told Reuters on Thursday.

UN envoy arrives to help Afghanistan through new period of development (17.01.2012)

(Quelle:UN News)

Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, will lead the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in what he said would be “a new period” in the Central Asian country’s development.

Costs in doubt as NATO moves toward smaller Afghan force (16.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reuters AlertNet)

As NATO nations revise their plans for standing up local security forces in Afghanistan, doubts are growing over whether the West will be willing to pay for even a smaller Afghan force seen as key to keeping militants at bay as foreign troops go home.

Opium production soars in Afghanistan (13.01.2012)

(Quelle:RFE/RL)

According to the UN, farmer income derived from Afghanistan's opium crop in 2011 was $1.4 billion, representing 9 percent of GDP. The overall opium crop increased by 61 percent, from 3,600 tons in 2010 to 5,800 tons in 2011.

US launches new push to secure Afghan peace talks (12.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reuters AlertNet)

Seeing a new glimmer of hope in its effort to broker Afghan peace talks, the Obama administration is launching a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy with an immediate goal of sealing agreement for Taliban insurgents to open a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar.

Taliban set terms as US pushes for talks (12.01.2012)

(Quelle:Al Jazeera)

The Taliban say they will step up "political efforts" to secure peace in Afghanistan in response to US moves to open new talks with the group, but added that it did not intend to give up its armed struggle as a precondition for negotiations. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Taliban also said its involvement in any talks did not constitute an acceptance of the legitimacy of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government.

Afghan government agrees to Taliban-US talks (05.01.2012)

(Quelle:Reliefweb)

The government of Afghanistan on Wednesday gave its blessing to talks between Taliban insurgents and the United States, and also to the opening of an office for the Islamists in Qatar.

Taliban opening Qatar office, and maybe door to talks (03.01.2012)

(Quelle:New York Times)

Giving a first major public sign that they may be ready for formal talks with the American-led coalition in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced Tuesday that they had struck a deal to open a political office in Qatar that could allow for direct negotiations over the endgame in the Afghan war.

Taliban ready to open political office, Afghan negotiator says (22.12.2011)

(Quelle:RFE/RL)

A key government negotiator says that the Taliban is willing to open an office outside of Afghanistan, a step toward holding face-to-face peace talks with the Afghan government. Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, said that "senior Taliban commanders" had "agreed on a political office."

Karzai wants immediate halt to NATO night raids (21.12.2011)

(Quelle:Reliefweb)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday demanded an immediate halt to controversial NATO-led night raids and for foreign forces to stop entering Afghan homes, his spokesman said. … The loya jirga meeting of Afghan elders last month made halting the raids a condition of the so-called strategic partnership document being negotiated with Washington.

Afghans negotiating long-term US presence: Karzai (19.12.2011)

(Quelle:Reliefweb)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that his government is negotiating the terms of a long-term US presence in his country that could involve US troops. … "That may bring about the presence of some US troops in Afghanistan for the duration of the agreement that we reach, with support to Afghanistan, with training and equipping the Afghan forces."

UN’s key role flagged as Security Council debates challenges of Afghan transition (19.12.2011)

(Quelle:UN News)

The United Nations peacekeeping chief today reaffirmed the world body’s unwavering commitment to stand by Afghanistan, adding that it is examining how it can best assist the country as it proceeds with the transfer of security responsibilities and takes greater ownership of its development.

New report of the Secretary-General (13.12.2011)

(Quelle:A/66/604–S/2011/772)

The report provides an update on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including significant humanitarian, development and human rights efforts, since the previous report issued on 21 September.

Afghan President Karzai blames Pakistan group for attacks (07.12.2011)

(Quelle:Reuters AlertNet)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday blamed a Pakistan-based group for bomb attacks in three Afghan cities that killed at least 59 people on Tuesday, an allegation that could stoke new tensions with Islamabad. The blasts were the worst sectarian attacks in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban government.

Pakistan urged to rethink Bonn Afghan talks boycott (30.11.2011)

(Quelle:BBC)

Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have urged Pakistan to re-think its decision not to attend the conference.

In protest over NATO strike, Pakistan will skip Afghan conference (29.11.2011)

(Quelle:New York Times)

Pakistan announced Tuesday that it would not attend an important international conference on Afghanistan’s security and development that is scheduled to begin in less than a week in protest over the weekend strikes that killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers.

Senior UN official lauds trilateral pact to halt drug smuggling from Afghanistan (28.11.2011)

(Quelle:UN News)

Afghanistan provides 90 per cent of the world’s opium, most of which is shipped through Iran and Pakistan. Since 2007, the three countries have been involved in the UNODC-sponsored Triangular Initiative to coordinate their efforts to combat trafficking.

Half of Afghanistan switching to local control: Karzai (28.11.2011)

(Quelle:Reliefweb)

More than half of Afghanistan will soon be under the control of local forces after President Hamid Karzai Sunday announced the second wave of a process which should see all NATO combat forces leave by 2014.

Ban selects experienced diplomat as next envoy to Afghanistan (23.11.2011)

(Quelle:UN News)

A senior United Nations official and former Slovakian foreign minister will be the next UN envoy to Afghanistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today. Jan Kubiš, 59, succeeds Staffan de Mistura as Mr. Ban’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), with Mr. de Mistura completing his term on 31 December.

Afghan government ready to resume negotiations with Taliban (23.11.2011)

(Quelle:The Guardian)

The Afghan government is prepared to resume negotiations with the Taliban despite the assassination of its chief peace envoy, Burhanuddin Rabbani, the senior official responsible for organising the talks has said. Masoom Stanekzai said talks would restart on condition that the insurgents established a political office first.

Afghan Jirga ends with reported agreement on US presence, peace talks (19.11.2011)

(Quelle:Eurasianet)

A grand assembly convened by Afghanistan's president has concluded in Kabul with general agreement on a government plan for a continued -- but not permanent -- US military presence in Afghanistan as well as a strategy for peace.

Karzai details vision for long-term partnership with U.S. (16.11.2011)

(Quelle:New York Times)

President Hamid Karzai for the first time publicly laid out his vision of a long-lasting agreement that could keep the American military in Afghanistan for years, in a speech to Afghans on Wednesday that seemed both a warning to neighboring Pakistan and Iran and an attempt to win over a skeptical domestic audience.

Intense security for Afghanistan elders' meeting (15.11.2011)

(Quelle:BBC)

Security forces are on high alert in the Afghan capital, Kabul, ahead of a traditional assembly of elders and leaders, due to begin on Wednesday. The Taliban have threatened to attack the gathering, or loya jirga.

Afghanistan clash 'kills dozens of Taliban' in Paktika (10.11.2011)

(Quelle:BBC)

More than 60 Taliban fighters have been killed in an attack on a Nato outpost in Afghanistan's eastern province of Paktika, local officials say.