Afghan government to boycott Taliban peace talks

The Afghan government will not take part in peace talks with the Taliban unless the process is "Afghan-led", President Hamid Karzai has said.

His statement came a day after the US agreed to talk to the Taliban in Qatar, where the militants have a new office.

Mr Karzai said the opening of the office contradicted earlier US security guarantees to his government.

In protest, he also said he would suspend talks on the US presence in Afghanistan after Nato leaves in 2014.

Jonathan Beale reports.