LONDON, Jan 28 The Afghan government on Thursday invited the Taliban to a peace council of elders as part of efforts to find a way out of a conflict which is trying the patience and resources of Afghanistan's western allies.

In an indication of the quickening pace of diplomacy, a UN official said members of the Taliban's leadership council had secretly met the UN representative for Afghanistan to discuss the possibility of laying down their arms.

As leaders and ministers from 60 nations convened in London to discuss Afghanistan, the official told Reuters that members of the Taliban's Quetta Shura had met UN Special Representative Kai Eide on Jan 8 in Dubai.

“They requested a meeting to talk about talks. They want protection, to be able to come out in public. They don't want to vanish into places like Bagram,” the official said, referring to a detention centre at a US military base in Afghanistan.

The official said it was the first time such talks had taken place with members of the Taliban's top council.

At the conference, Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on Saudi Arabia, which has hosted talks between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives in the past, to help bring peace to Afghanistan.

Mr Karzai also said Afghanistan needed the support of its neighbours, particularly Pakistan, to secure peace.

At the conference, nations agreed that Afghan forces should aim to take the lead role in providing security in a number of provinces by late 2010 or early 2011, opening the road for a reduction in foreign troops.

“We must reach out to all of our countrymen, especially our disenchanted brothers, who are not part of Al Qaeda, or other terrorist networks, who accept the Afghan constitution,” Mr Karzai told the conference.

The United States and its allies would not be involved in the council, known as a Loya Jirga, and have said they want to leave it up to the Afghans to seek reconciliation.

“You have to be willing to engage with your enemies if you expect to create a situation that ends an insurgency or so marginalises the remaining insurgents that it doesn't pose a threat to the stability and security of the people,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said $140 million had been pledged towards an international fund to help reintegrate Taliban foot soldiers into society. Japan said it would provide $50 million towards that sum.

An Afghan government spokesman said the Taliban would be asked to take part in the Loya Jirga, expected to be held early this year.

“We wish them to come,” spokesman Hamid Elmi told Reuters.

War weary

The Taliban have so far shown no willingness in public to enter talks, though some analysts say they realise they are no better placed than the United States and its allies to win the war by military means alone.

“They are tired of fighting. Despite a lot of the bravado they don't have the capacity to take the country,” a UN diplomat said. “So in the long run they need a route out themselves.”

Elaborating on the Dubai meeting, the UN official said there had been no follow-up on the talks yet but added “We've had the initial approach and we are hoping that the Afghan

government will now follow up and capitalise on it.”

The Dubai meeting was at a higher level than earlier known talks which took place in Saudi Arabia between former Taliban officials and representatives of the Afghan government in 2008.--Reuters