The prospect of talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government moved closer on Monday after a fence-mending visit by John Kerry, the US secretary of state, to Kabul.
Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, said he was prepared to embrace a talks process with the Taliban when he visits the Gulf state of Qatar for discussions with its emir on hosting the negotiations.
Addressing a joint press conference, Kerry said there was a growing understanding between the two countries on the talks. He said: “I am confident [Karzai] does not believe the US has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace. So we’re on the same page. I don’t think there is any disagreement between us.”
Karzai said his visit to Qatar within “a few days” would include discussions on the opening of a Taliban political office, possibly as a prelude to talks.
He said: “Afghanistan will do its utmost to see that… the opening of the office in Qatar for the Taliban movement will end in the benefit of the peace process, a strengthening of the national unity in Afghanistan, security and a lasting peace in our country.”
The Taliban so far has refused to negotiate directly with the Afghan government, but has held a range of discussions with diplomats and think tank researchers at five star hotels in the emirate.
A US official welcomed the planned trip, saying: “I wouldn’t want to overplay it but I think that it’s a very positive sign.”
Hours before America’s top diplomat touched down in Afghanistan, the US military sought to bolster Karzai’s negotiating leverage with the insurgents by transferring “all but a small number” of prisoners held at Bagram prison to local security forces.
The transfer had been cancelled at the last minute two weeks ago amid American concerns that prisoners would be released to rejoin the Taliban and al-Qaeda. American officials had feared the Afghans were too willing to release prisoners without extracting concessions from the enemy.
The prison, which came to be seen as emblematic of America’s power in Afghanistan, carries a huge amount of symbolism.
At the centre of prisoner abuse allegations, it has been a long-running source of tension and became a central pillar of Karzai’s struggle to regain control of key matters before the US withdraws combat troops next year.
A deal to hand the prison over to local security forces was finally brokered on Saturday in a telephone call between Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, and Karzai.
The handover solved one thorny problem for Kerry, but he still faces a difficult diplomatic challenge in repairing frosty relations that shore up plans for the withdrawal of US forces.
He and Karzai made a show of unity as they tried to draw a line under the Afghan leader’s latest broadside, in which he accused the US of colluding with the Taliban to justify keeping troops on the ground.
After their meeting, Karzai said: “Today was a very good day.”