European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Tuesday he backed the new Pakistani government's moves to hold talks with Taliban militants, but ruled out any negotiations with Al-Qaeda.| For all the good that Solana's support does ... |
He supported the recent moves by Pakistan to open dialogue with Taliban militants in a bid to restore peace and order in Pakistan and its tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. "It is up to the country to give benefit to those who want to contribute to the well-being of the country by participating in a dialogue which is under the umbrella of the constitution of the country," Solana told reporters.
But he told a joint press conference with Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that peace talks with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network were out of the question. "The answer is no," he said when asked whether he would accept negotiations with Al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda formed a nexus with so-called Pakistani Taliban in the region, but Pakistan has said it will negotiate with homegrown militants, many of whom it believes are motivated by political and economic concerns as much as Islam.