Petraeus: NATO has facilitated Taliban movement for negotiations

US General David Petraeus has confirmed that NATO has provided safe passage for top Taliban leaders to travel to Kabul for face-to-face negotiations with the American-backed Afghan government.

Petraeus told reporters on Friday that it would "not be the easiest of tasks" for a senior Taliban leader to make his way to the capital, Kabul, unless NATO forces permitted it. He said NATO is "aware of it and allows it to take place." Petraeus declined to provide details of the alliance's role in the clandestine talks - discussions that he described as "preliminary." (AP)