U.S. Embassy Reaffirms APRP Policy ( October 13,2011)

U.S. Embassy Statement

October 13, 2011

The United States has consistently supported Afghan reconciliation, and the President and the Secretary have been very clear on the necessary outcomes of any negotiation:  The Taliban and other insurgents must renounce violence; they must abandon their alliance with al-Qaida; and they must agree to abide by the laws and constitution of Afghanistan, including respecting the rights of women and ethnic minorities.  The United States has a broad range of contacts across Afghanistan and the region at many levels to support these efforts.  The most important interactions, however, are those between Afghans; any U.S. efforts are in support of the Afghan government.

As Secretary Clinton has said, the Afghan people will not be deterred from pursuing a more peaceful, democratic future for their country, and we will continue to stand with them and support their efforts.