Northern Alliance president Burhanuddin Rabbani said Sunday members of the Taliban militia could participate in a transitional Afghan government "as individuals."
"Taliban authorities and officials can participate in the interim government as individuals, not as the Taliban party if they are selected through the ... loya jirga," he said, referring to a traditional meeting of tribal chiefs.
"Elements of the Taliban are not criminals and they don't have an obvious guilt," Rabbani said.
"They can be part of the interim government if they are selected through the loya jirga and people select them as individuals not as party members."
Rival factions bidding to form Afghanistan's next government are due to meet in the former West German capital of Bonn on Tuesday.
Diplomatic efforts have focused on United Nations' moves to promote a broad-based coalition with representatives of the Pashtun majority in the wake of the Taliban's rout.
The alliance -- a disparate mix of Uzbek, Tajik, Hazara and other minorities -- has said it is willing to share power with the dominant Pashtun community, despite its fears that Taliban could easily regroup under a new name.
Alliance foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah had said Friday there was no such thing as a "moderate Taliban," adding: "The phrase is a contradiction in terms, it does not exist." Kabul – (AFP)
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