Cameron in arms plea to Taliban

PRIME Minister David Cameron has issued a direct appeal to the Taliban to lay down their arms and join the political process in Afghanistan.

On the final day of a two-day visit to the country, Mr Cameron drew a direct comparison to the situation in Northern Ireland, where former terrorists were now in government alongside one-time enemies.

At a joint Press conference in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, he insisted the Taliban could not succeed in their struggle and urged them to give up the fight and become “part of the future of this country”.

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At the same time, he confirmed he would be announcing further “modest” troop withdrawals in a statement to the House of Commons today ahead of the ending of the UK’s involvement in major combat operations in 2014.

Following the latest death on Monday of a British soldier, Mr Cameron acknowledged the “high price” Britain had paid in seeking to help stabilise Afghanistan and prevent it reverting to a haven for terrorists.

At the same time, however, he stressed the need for reconciliation in Afghanistan if the country was to move forward.

“It is very difficult to reconcile with people who have been killing your own soldiers, or your own countrymen,” he said. “To the Taliban, the message is very clear: stop killing, stop bombing, stop fighting, put down your weapons, join the political process and you can be part of the future of this country.

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“I have seen it in my own country, in Northern Ireland, where people who were involved in trying to kill, to maim and bomb civilians and police officers, Army personnel and even politicians, have actually become politicians themselves and are involved in the governance of that country. It can happen and the message to the Taliban is: you cannot win this fight, you are losing this fight.”

The Army is continuing to investigate the death of a soldier from the Highlanders, 4th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The soldier, named yesterday at Highlander Scott McLaren of 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was found dead on Monday following a 17-hour search after he went missing from a checkpoint in central Helmand province.

A spokesman said the 20-year-old, from the Sighthill area of Edinburgh, had suffered gunshot wounds, although the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance were still under investigation. Taliban groups have claimed responsibility for the killing.

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A statement on behalf of his family – parents James and Ann, sister Kirsty and brothers James and Ross – read: “Scott was a beloved son to James and Ann and brother to Kirsty, James and Ross. His family and friends will miss him dreadfully. We will always be thinking of him.”

Despite the setback, Mr Cameron insisted that the planned transition to Afghan security control in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah later this month remained on track.

In his Commons statement expected today, Mr Cameron will announce the withdrawal of around 500 troops next year on top of the 450 coming home this year.

He stressed, however, that Britain would continue to provide support for Afghanistan after the end of combat operations in 2014 and pointed to the creation of an Afghan national officer academy modelled on Sandhurst.

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It will open its doors in 2013 and accept 1,350 recruits annually. Some 120 UK troops will be involved in the training.

Mr Cameron said: “This is a great example of a country that if we walk away from, and if we ignore, if we forget about, the problems will come visited back on our doorstep.”