AP Interview: Karzai welcomes Gitmo 5 into peace discussion

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who still wields considerable influence in today's Afghanistan despite being out of office for four years, said Thursday he welcomes the entry of five Taliban leaders who were freed from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in 2014 into peace negotiations.

Karzai, who led the country from 2001-2014, also said he now supports talks between the Taliban and the United States — but only as a step toward direct talks between the insurgents and a negotiating team representing Afghans from across society.