WASHINGTON - The Taliban have held secret talks with representatives of President Hamid Karzai to try to jumpstart a peace process that stumbled and stalled at the starting gate, according to Afghan officials and a senior Taliban representative, CBS reported.

The discussions with members of the Afghan High Peace Council have so far been unofficial and preliminary, seen as an attempt to agree on conditions for formal talks. But they do suggest an interest on both sides in proceeding, or at least toying, with a peace process that has been mired in controversy since the official opening of a Taliban political office in June in the Gulf nation of Qatar.

Habibullah Fauzi, a former Taliban diplomat who is now a member of Karzai's High Peace Council, has told the media that "some individuals on the peace council have met Taliban on an individual basis", though he would not say who or when. He also said he'd heard reports of meetings in Saudi Arabia between High Peace Council members and Taliban who were in that country to perform umra.

"The Afghan government certainly is in contact with certain leaders and certain figures among the Taliban," Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Musazai said on Sunday at a news conference in Kabul.

Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry sought Pakistan's help to press the Taliban into opening negotiations with Karzai's representatives. (Agencies)