LONDON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari promised here on Monday to exert efforts to reach a peace settlement for Afghanistan within six months.
All sides concerned should "take all necessary measures to achieve the goal of a peace settlement (on Afghanistan) over the next six months," said a statement released by British Prime Minister David Cameron's office following a trilateral meeting hosted by Britain.
This was the third trilateral meeting in a year which is hosted by the British prime minister to discuss the Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process and how to strengthen joint efforts to address extremism and advance regional peace and stability.
Karzai, Zardari and Cameron affirmed they supported the opening of an office in Doha for the purpose of negotiations between the Taliban and the High Peace Council of Afghanistan, as part of the Afghan-led peace process, and called on the Taliban to enter the dialogue.
Leaders from Afghanistan and Pakistan also "agreed arrangements to strengthen co-ordination of Taliban detainee releases from Pakistani custody in support of the peace and reconciliation process," according to the statement.
Cameron said "an unprecedented level of co-operation" had been agreed between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
NATO troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan in 2014. There are fears that Taliban resurgence in the region will follow the withdrawal.
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