KABUL - Taliban on Tuesday refuted President Hamid Karzai's remarks that they are ready for peace talks with the Afghan government.
Karzai had told reporters in Tokyo, Japan's capital, that at a recent Kyoto meeting between Afghan and Taliban officials, the militant group was ready to discuss peace process with the government.

Last week, the Afghanistan High Peace Council, Taliban and 'Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), led by Gul Buddin Hikmatyar, gathered at the Doshisha University in Kyoto city, in Japan, for peace dialogues.

HIA head of political affairs Dr. Ghairat Baheer, former Taliban Planning Minister Qari Din Mohammad, ex-Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Mullah Abdul Salam Zayeef and peace council representative Masoom Stanikzai participated in the one-day meeting.

In a statement, Taliban denied of any such talks with Afghan delegation in Kyoto or they were ready for peace discussions with the Afghan government, but said they were in Kyoto because it was a gathering where all parties would express their opinions.

Taliban representatives attended the meeting as they were officially invited but they did not hold any special meeting with the government delegation, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Karzai was in Japan to attend the Tokyo conference where international donors gathered to raise development funds for Afghanistan. (Pajhwok)