Gov't officials to meet with rival Afghan groups in Tokyo

.c Kyodo News Service 

TOKYO, March 9 (Kyodo) - Japan has invited representatives of all major rival groups in Afghanistan to visit Tokyo in a bid to secure their cooperation on achieving a sustainable peace in the war-torn nation, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Three representatives of the hard-line Islamist militia Taliban, which controls most of Afghanistan, arrived in Tokyo on Thursday for a visit until Tuesday, ministry spokesman Ryuichiro Yamazaki told reporters.

Three representatives of groups opposing the Taliban will visit from Saturday to March 16, and an aide to the former Afghan king will arrive on March 16 for a four-day stay, he said.

Foreign Ministry officials will hold talks separately with the representatives on peace issues and convey Japan's concerns over human rights, terrorism and protection of cultural assets in Afghanistan, Yamazaki said.

But he noted that Japan has no plans to try to bring all the representatives together at one table for talks.

Japan has been taking a neutral stance on the Afghan situation while contributing to humanitarian and other U.N. activities aimed at realizing peace and the rehabilitation of the country.