Afghan conference calls for talks with Taliban

KATHY GANNON Associated Press Writers= KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai got a boost Friday from a national conference of tribal, religious and civic leaders for his plans to approach the Taliban to talk peace. Karzai's more difficult challenge: convincing insurgent leaders and the Obama administration. The United States supports overtures to lower-level militants but thinks talks with top leaders will go nowhere until NATO-led and Afghan forces are successful in weakening the Taliban and strengthening the Afghan government in Kandahar province and elsewhere in the south. The Taliban insist no talks are possible until foreign troops withdraw from the country — a step...

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