Kerry calls Karzai to address his concerns on Taliban talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Afghan President Hamid Karzai twice in the last 24 hours to address latter's concerns with regard to the direct US-Taliban talks in Doha.
Kerry's call came after Karzai announced to suspend talks with the US on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).
"The Secretary spoke with President Karzai last night and again this morning. The Secretary reiterated the fact that we do not recognise the name Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.
"He noted that the government of Qatar has taken steps today to ensure that the political office is in compliance with the conditions established by the government of Qatar for its operations and noted also that we are pleased that the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement clarifying that the name of the office is the Political Office of the Afghan Taliban and not the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and has had the sign with the incorrect name in front of the door taken down," she said.

The office must not be treated as or represent itself as an embassy or other office representing the afghan Taliban as an emirate, government or sovereign, Psaki said.
"Just to reiterate, in January, President Karzai and President (Barack) Obama jointly called on the government of Qatar to facilitate an office in Doha for the purposes of negotiations between the Afghan High Peace Council and the authorised representatives of the Taliban.

The US supports, as you all know, the opening of the political office of the Afghan Taliban for this purpose," she said.
Psaki said an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process is the surest way to end violence and ensure lasting stability in Afghanistan and the region.

The US supports a peaceful, democratic and unified Afghanistan, she said, adding that the US remain committed to peace and reconciliation and remain prepared to negotiate with Afghanistan to conclude a BSA that supports our shared objectives.
Reiterating the statements made by top US officials including Obama that there would be bumps on the road, Psaki said the US certainly anticipated that that will be the case.
"The US certainly has stakes here, and we certainly have stakes that we will be conveying as a part of our own discussion. But this is ultimately up to the Afghan people, Afghans of all sides talking to one another. And that's consistently been our position and our belief," she said.