The top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan, Steffan de Mistura, said theTalibanstatement was "in the opposite direction" to many other recent signals, and could be part of a pre-negotiation strategy of creating perceptions, building up pressure and increasing military attacks.
TheTaliban, thestatement said, would not allow anyone to use Afghan soil for terrorism against anybody, and said theTaliban offered to help fight international terrorism, especially in neighboring countries.