Germany earmarks 10m euros to buy off Taliban
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, Oct 26, IRNA -- The German government on Tuesday signed an agreement pledging 10 million euros annually to buy off the Taliban as part of a western plan to 'reintegrate” the radical militia in Afghanistan.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle stressed reintegrating former Taliban rebels was key to ensuring long-term peace and stability in the war-stricken country.
'The success of the Afghan government's attempts at reconciliation is key to the common goal of handing responsibility for security to the Afghans by the year 2014,' Westerwelle said in Berlin.
The peace plan hopes to convince up to 36,000 insurgents to set aside their weapons.
Critics of the western plan argue that the Taliban have no real reason to join the 'reintegration' program as they have been quite successful militarily in Afghanistan in recent years.
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