According to the official, the sides also failed to agree in the formal details of the talks. The group is known for numerous attacks against authorities and civilians of both countries.
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On Friday, President Barack Obama, during a video conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, noted Ghani’s role in “working with Afghanistan’s neighbours to deepen regional cooperation and advance the reconciliation process with the Taliban”, the White House said.
Afghan security forces have suffered record casualties since North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ended its combat mission in December 2014, leaving them to battle the resurgent Taliban largely on their own.
The militants said they had no intention of joining talks as long as the country was under what they described as foreign occupation.
The Taliban statement has effectively dampened hopes for the peace talks to start any time soon.
Analysts who follow Afghan development already doubt such talks in March and believe that Taliban wish to impose Shariah and Quran as constitution while sitting Afghan government wishes to retain prevailing system and constitution and talks are possible only when Afghan government disbands current political structure and asks foreign troops to leave Afghanistan.
Mr. Karzai’s comments came as there was uncertainty in Islamabad over just when the next round of QCG talks that include representatives from the U.S., China, Pakistan and Afghanistan, would be scheduled.
In Washington on Saturday the State Department urged Taliban leaders to change their minds and commit to talks.
“No one has been tasked by our leader to attend the meeting nor has the leadership council decided on the participation of the meeting”, Zabihullah Mujahed, a Taliban spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement.
Previous talks have taken place without Taliban representatives present, but Afghan and Pakistani officials had expressed confidence that direct talks between the Afghan government and the militants would resume in March, and they maintained that position Saturday.
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It also said that Afghan forces have intensified their battle against the militants. The peace negotiation process stalled this past summer after it was revealed that the Taliban’s longtime leader Mullah Omar had been dead for two years.
