VZCZCXRO8981
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #3491 2870635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140635Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0888
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0543
RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4248

UNCLAS KABUL 003491 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A 
DEPT PASS AID/ANE 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR GERBER AND KLEIN 
DEPT PASS OPIC FOR ZAHNISER 
DEPT PASS TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP 
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, ABAUKOL, BDAHL, AND MNUGENT 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
COMMERCE FOR DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: ECON OTRA PREL AF
SUBJECT:  SPANTA ON TALIBAN TALKS 
 
¶1. On October 9, FM Spanta convened the diplomatic corps, ostensibly 
to discuss the upcoming ECO conference to be held in Herat, but in 
reality to announce the government's position on talks with the 
Taliban. 
 
Spanta said that the government intended to invite contacts with 
elements of the Taliban who were willing to recognize the authority 
of the government and return to peaceful life.  He made clear that 
there were some members of the Taliban with whom the government 
would not engage, nor would it engage with Al-Qaeda.  Spanta 
repeated President Karzai's distinction between "hard core" Taliban 
and others.  He stressed that the government would not negotiate or 
compromise with terrorism.  He said that the engagement "was not to 
be seen as a sign of weakness, on the part of the government or its 
international partners. 
 
¶2. Comment.  This formal announcement to the diplomatic corps was 
the next step in a larger effort by the government to respond to 
selected Taliban overtures and take acceptable Taliban elements off 
the battlefield. 
 
WOOD