Dr Rudra Chaudhuri, Professor Theo Farrell, and Professor Anatol Lieven will present the findings of talks they conducted over the Summer with senior Afghan figures very close to the Taliban leadership, including two former Taliban ministers. These talks focused on three themes:
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The Taliban’s links with Al-Qa’ida
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The potential for a ceasefire
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Post-conflict government and the US Presence
The talks offered insights into the tantalizing possibilities for reconciliation, and suggest a much more pragmatic approach has been adopted by more moderate elements of the Taliban leadership than hitherto appreciated in the West. The project report was published last month by RUSI, and may be freely downloaded here
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