Karzai Meets With U.S. Envoy About Pakistan Visit

U.S. presidential envoy Marc Grossman (left) with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at a January 2012 meeting in Kabul

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has met in Kabul with U.S. President Barack Obama’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman.

Karzai’s office said in a statement that during the October 21 meeting Grossman spoke to Karzai about his recent visit to Pakistan and talks with Pakistani officials about the Afghan peace process and moves to counter terrorism and extremism.

Officials say Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants use Pakistan’s northwest tribal region as a base to prepare for attacks on U.S., Afghan, and allied forces in Afghanistan.

The Afghan presidential statement said the meeting was also attended by Douglas Lute, U.S. deputy national security adviser; U.S. General John Allen, the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan; and James Cunningham, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.

Based on reporting by dpa and RFE/RL