Grossman’s visit comes not long after the Taliban announced it planned to open a political office in Qatar ahead of talks with Washington aimed at ending ten years of civil strife in Afghanistan.
Analysts say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton despatched Grossman to Kabul to discuss the development with Karzai, who was reportedly concerned that he would be sidelined in the Qatar talks.
Grossman’s visit comes a day after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he was considering an early exit from Afghanistan after an Afghan soldier shot dead four unarmed French troops and wounded many others on January 20.
The AFP news agency has since reported that France’s defense minister has arrived in Kabul for top-level talks.
Gerard Longuet briefly met 12 of the French soldiers wounded in the attack and will hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and other top Afghan and NATO officials in Kabul later on January 21.
Longuet is expected to use his visit to evaluate the dangers facing the French mission responsible for training Afghan troops.
His report will determine whether France decides to recall it
compiled from agency reports
Source Article from http://www.rferl.org/content/us_envoy_in_kabul_for_peace_talks_/24458455.html
