French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has announced that France supports the initiative for mediation between Afghanistan and the Taliban, and that it has even proposed holding a conference in Paris with the participation of the neighboring countries – including Iran and Pakistan – in order to help advance peace in Afghanistan.
Kouchner's statements followed reports of Saudi intervention in the initiative to bring about an end to the violence in Afghanistan.
Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, October 8, 2008
