Pakistan and Afghanistan to discuss Saudi Arabia’s role in Afghan reconciliation process; International Crisis Group report on Afghanistan warns that the departure of NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2014 could be followed by the government's collapse; Two
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    • Reports noted that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and her Afghan counterpart, Dr Zalmai Rasoul will travel to Saudia Arabia to discuss the kingdom’s possible role in the Afghan reconciliation process. This comes on the heels of recent interactions of Saudi officials with representatives of the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami party of former Afghan premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Previously, Saudi Arabia was unwilling to get involved in the Afghan peace process unless the Taliban shunned al Qaeda. But now the kingdom has agreed in principle to act on a joint request from the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan.1

    In another development, according to reports, a new International Crisis Group (ICG) report on Afghanistan warned that the departure of NATO forces in 2014 could be followed by the government's collapse and even civil war, unless steps are taken now. It added that polls in two years' time would be "plagued" by fraud unless the state acted to ensure a clean vote. 2

    In other developments, according to reports, two American troops were killed by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan on October 6. No other information about the deaths was disclosed. This area has seen heavy fighting in recent months. 3

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