World Gossip News

Afghanistan's president urged neighboring Pakistan to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban during a visit, but expectations were low in both countries that much progress would be made in jumpstarting negotiations. Pakistan is seen as key to the process because of its strong historical ties with the Taliban. But Pakistan and Afghanistan have long had troubled relations and view each other with suspicion, especially because Kabul has repeatedly accused Islamabad of providing sanctuary for the insurgents.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai told Sharif during a joint news conference in Islamabad that he expects the Pakistani government to "facilitate and help in manners it can to the peace process in Afghanistan and in providing opportunities, not a platform. Karzai's visit comes after an attempt to jumpstart peace talks in the Qatari capital of Doha foundered in June.