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Summary As a sign to create distinction between Taliban and al Qaeda, the UN will ease sanction on Taliban.
The UN Security Council is considering removing about 20 former senior Taliban commanders from an international sanctions list to boost reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.In another sign that the international coalition in Afghanistan wants a negotiated peace, the council will also divide the UN sanctions list between Al-Qaeda and the Taliban to draw a distinction between them.The United States is driving the new diplomatic campaign to entice the militant group it is fighting a war against in Afghanistan into talks, diplomats said.President Barack Obama has set July as the target date to begin reducing the 100,000 US troops in Afghanistan, while Defence Secretary Robert Gates said this month there could be talks with the Taliban before the end of the year.Western officials in Kabul say they are trying to set up communication channels with Taliban leaders but stress this remains at a very early stage.Afghanistans UN Ambassador Zahir Tanin said that removing the Taliban names from the list of figures facing a travel ban and assets freeze would be an important psychological and political signal for the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
