Kabul - The US ambassador to the United Nations announced Friday yesterday that he has had secured a ceasefire from the Afghan Taliban militia and their agreement to hold talks with opposition forces by April 27th.
Following a meeting of more than two hours with the Taliban number two, Mullah Mohammad Rabbani, Mr Bill Richardson hailed the negotiations as a breakthrough for peace efforts aimed at ending Afghanistan's 18-year-old war.
"It appears we have a breakthrough, that if the northern alliance agrees we will have talks between the Taliban and the northern alliance in Islamabad before April 27th," Mr Richardson told reporters.