US to begin meetings with Taliban
By PATRICK QUINNBy PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press?
?Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Karzai announced at the ceremony on Tuesday that his country's armed forces are taking over the lead for security nationwide from the U.S.-led NATO coalition. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Karzai announced at the ceremony on Tuesday that his country's armed forces are taking over the lead for security nationwide from the U.S.-led NATO coalition. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, right, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen after a press conference during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Afghan forces have taken over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, Karzai announced in the significant milestone in the 12-year war. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a ceremony at military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Karzai announced at the ceremony that his country's armed forces are taking over the lead for security nationwide from the U.S.-led NATO coalition. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Afghan security officials attend a handover ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Afghan forces have taken over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, President Hamid Karzai announced Tuesday in a significant milestone in the 12-year war. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks at a press conference during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Afghan forces have taken over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced in the significant milestone in the 12-year war. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? American officials say U.S. representatives will begin formal meetings with the Taliban in a few days at the group's new office opening in Qatar.
Senior Obama administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record, described the Taliban's move to open a political office Tuesday in Doha as a stepping stone to full Taliban renouncement of al-Qaida.
In Doha, a Qatari official confirmed that the Taliban office was open.
The administration officials say the U.S. and Taliban representatives will hold bilateral meetings, then it is expected that Afghan President Hamid Karzai's High Peace Council will follow up with its own talks a few days later.
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