August 04, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 1 429

KABUL, Aug 3: Afghanistan accepted Pakistan’s offer on Sunday to resume talks which the Kabul government had boycotted after accusing its neighbour of being behind a series of attacks.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani talked on the sidelines of the Saarc summit in Colombo on Sunday, their first meeting since July 15.

“At the suggestion of Pakistan, the Afghan side agreed to re-engage on all bilateral and multilateral forums,” a presidential palace statement said.

Earlier, President Karzai and Premier Gilani met over breakfast in Colombo and exchanged views on the “common challenges facing the two countries in terms of dealing with terrorism and militancy.”

A joint statement after the talks said their foreign ministers would meet soon to craft a common strategy to deal with the problem. “The president and prime minister decided that their respective foreign ministers will meet to prepare grounds for a framework for close and constructive engagement between (the) two countries to build confidence and develop a common strategy at the political, military and intelligence levels,” the statement said.

They will also collaborate with their coalition partners --- Nato and Isaf --- to prepare that strategy.

The meeting took place in a “cordial atmosphere,” and “the two sides agreed to coordinate their efforts to stop cross border terrorism,” the statement said.

The joint statement made no reference to the bombing in front of the Indian embassy in Kabul.—Agencies