Pakistani Taliban claim ready for talks with new gov't

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Pakistani Taliban militant commander in northwestern Pakistan claimed on Sunday Taliban are ready for peace talks with the new government after the country's general elections.

"The Taliban movement welcomes the victory of anti-Musharraf political parties in the election and announces its willingness to enter into negotiations with them for bringing peace in the restive tribal area," self-proclaimed Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar said Sunday, quoting a statement by their local leader Baitullah Mehsud.

"Taliban are ready for negotiations with the political parties as long as they do not re-impose war on them. If they do so, then Taliban will continue their activities against them," Omar said.

"Taliban have no enmity with the political parties and these parties who have got the mandate of the people should strive for bringing peace and avoid repeating the mistakes of Musharraf government," he said.

The local press reports quoted Omar as claiming that the opposition victory was also thanks to the Taliban's activities.

"The victory of political parties was due to Taliban who gained sympathies of the people by giving their blood and as a result of which people rejected U.S. and Musharraf policies and gave victory to their opposing political forces," he said.