Francesc Vendrell


UN envoy Francesc Vendrell will be attending talks

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Fresh push for Afghan peace

Taleban


The Taleban have recently resumed their offensive

BBC

Talks aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan are to begin on Monday at the instigation of Muslim nations.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said the talks would start with separate meetings on Monday with representatives from the ruling Taleban movement and the opposition in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Officials from Pakistan, Iran and Guinea will attend the talks, as well as the United Nations' envoy to Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell.
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The OIC said on Sunday that the "purpose of the meetings would be to explore the possibilities of bringing the parties together with the view to developing a comprehensive, commonly agreeable plan of action to achieve peace in Afghanistan".

The organisation said OIC teams had held talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as officials of countries neighbouring Afghanistan over the past two weeks "to seek their views on resuming efforts towards a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan".

Attempts by the UN to end the civil war have had little success and the Taleban, who control about 90% of the country, recently launched a new offensive against an opposition alliance led by Ahmad Shah Masood.

The Taleban say the opposition commander must surrender and join its Islamic government.

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