UN official meets Taliban negotiators in Qatar

The special representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Manua), Tadamichi Yamamoto, met in Taliban chief negotiator in Qatar on Thursday, the spokesman for the Islamist movement said.

Yamamoto saw Mullah Baradar Akhund and other members of the Taliban's negotiating team in the Qatari capital Doha, spokesman Zabihulla Mujahid said.

The Doha meeting took place as Russian and Chinese officials met in Moscow with US peace envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to discuss ways to convince the Taliban to enter into negotiations with the Afghan government.

The Taliban have had several meetings with US diplomats and their representatives have also seen officials from neighboring countries or other countries with interests in Afghanistan.

So far, however, they have refused to enter into dialogue with the Afghan government, in which they see a "puppet" regime in the hands of foreign powers.....