News - Afghanistan

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his US counterpart, Barack Obama, discussed efforts to begin Afghan-led talks with the Taliban, the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders "discussed regional support for Afghan-led reconciliation, the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran trilateral meetings last week in Islamabad, and other strategic issues," the statement said.

The leaders agreed on Monday to speak again soon to remain closely aligned as both countries continue their efforts to achieve common goals, and work to forge a long-term partnership, it said.

Afghanistan is seeking regional help in peace talks as the US withdraws troops from a decade-old conflict and hands over security responsibilities to the Afghan National Army and police force.

Mr Karzai last week in Islamabad met with Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for talks on regional security and trade.

US Senator John MacCain said he supported US-Taliban talks.

The senator, who is currently visiting Afghanistan to talk about a Afghan-US peace negotiations, in an Interview with ABC said that talks with the Taliban are important but there has to be military results too.

"I think it's important to have talks wherever you can," Senator McCain said. "We have to have an outcome on the battlefield...that would motivate a successful conclusion."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently said that his government, the Taliban and the US have entered into three-way peace talks.

The Taliban have denied this.

The Afghan government has stressed that peace talks must be Afghan-owned and that negotiations will not have the desired outcome without the active involvement of the Afghan government.

Meanwhile, Hong Lei a spokesman for China's foreign ministry said on Monday that his country had noted reports on the trilateral summit attended by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

He said that China holds that related countries' efforts to enhance communication and co-operation, as well as their commitment to regional peace and stability, are in the fundamental interests of countries and people in the region.