Afghanistan seeks Pakistani help to revive stalled peace talks with Taliban.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The Afghan foreign minister urged Pakistan at a conference in Islamabad on Wednesday to help revive peace talks between his government and the Taliban, but news of a major Taliban attack in Afghanistan dimmed hopes of dialogue.

Cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan is essential to ending the insurgency by the Afghan Taliban, who have bases on both sides of the countries' porous border.

This year's annual "Heart of Asia" gathering, at which countries pledge support to Afghanistan, comes months after the first, inconclusive talks were held between the Afghan government and the Islamist militant Taliban.

Dozens of people were killed on Wednesday in fighting at the airport in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar after an overnight Taliban attack, and an important district in neighbouring Helmand province fell to the insurgents.

Kandahar airport is one of the most heavily protected bases in the country.

Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani said he hoped to see "positive moves in the coming weeks" regarding peace talks.

"We very much hope that Pakistan can play a very influential role and very important role in the peace and reconciliation process," he told a news conference.


By Asad Hashim.
Full story at Yahoo News.