US endorses Taliban office in Qatar in bid to bolster talks

Washington's endorsement of the office of the self-styled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is widely seen as the next step in behind-the-scenes negotiations between the US, the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban designed at opening up formal peace talks and finding a solution to the decade-long conflict. The office is expected to be established by the end of the year.http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15392674,00.html