Taliban rules out Nato talks

A statement for the insurgents, given to the BBC, stated that they believed they have the “upper hand” and are certain that they are “winning”.

"We do not want to talk to anyone – not to [President Hamid] Karzai, nor to any foreigners – till the foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan” read the statement.

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"We are certain that we are winning. Why should we talk if we have the upper hand, and the foreign troops are considering withdrawal, and there are differences in the ranks of our enemies?"

The BBC said a “trusted intermediary” received the statement from Zabiullah Mujahedd, the Taliban spokesman.

It comes after the head of the Army said Britain and its allies will not defeat the Taliban with military force and should soon open peace talks with insurgents.

General Sir David Richards said he believed the time had come for negotiations with Nato’s enemies to pave the way for the eventual withdrawal of troops.

The Chief of the General Staff said that while British forces would continue to “punish” the Taliban battle by battle, he was “less certain” that an overall victory could now be secured.

“There's always been a point at which you start to negotiate with each other," Gen Sir David said. In his “private view” there was “no reason why we shouldn't be looking at that sort of thing pretty soon,” he said.

Meanwhile William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, told BBC Radio 4 that he hoped for a full withdrawal of Nato troops by 2015.

"This is the single biggest problem and issue in foreign policy. The Afghan forces should be able to conduct their own affairs by 2014.

"By 2015 we should be in the position where the Afghan national security forces will be looking after themselves. We are committed to the Afghans being able to conduct their own military operations and their own security."

But he said that some British troops may stay in the country to train Afghan forces beyond that date.

His comments came after David Cameron announced that he wants British troops out of Afghanistan within five years.

The Prime Minister's comments came ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama at the G8 Muskoka summit in Canada last week.

Mr Cameron has so far refused to commit himself to any deadline for British troops to come home, saying only that he did not believe they should stay a day longer than is necessary.

But asked whether the 10,000-strong deployment would be back home by the time of the next general election – scheduled for 2015 – Mr Cameron said: "I want that to happen, make no mistake about it. We can't be there for another five years, having been there for nine years already.”

The US has said it wants to start withdrawing troops as early as next July, and Mr Cameron has backed that timetable. Other Nato members including Canada have said they want to withdrawing forces next year.
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