Taliban spokesman’s contention is that they had agreed to discuss two issues with the US: the establishment of the group’s political office in Qatar and a prisoner exchange. The Americans initially agreed to take practical steps on these issues, but then “turned their backs on their promises” and came up with new conditions for the talks.

“So the Islamic Emirate has decided to suspend all talks with Americans taking place in Qatar from today onwards until the Americans clarify their stance on the issues concerned and until they show willingness in carrying out their promises instead of wasting time,” Mujahid said.

And he went on to pin blame on Washington: “We must categorically state that the real source of obstacle in talks was the shaky, erratic and vague standpoint of the Americans, therefore all the responsibility for the halt also falls on their shoulders”

For the United States, which has come to view the Islamist upsurge in Afghanistan as a political problem as well, the talks offer the manna to salvage its lost pride.  So it is unlikely to give up pursuing the Taliban and even the Haqqanis for talks.

The State Department’s spokesperson Victoria Nuland comment shows that the US still sees hope for engaging Taliban. “We have to see where this goes now. There were statements today, whether they’re representative of the entire group, whether after feelings calm there is a way to get back to it, we’ll just have to see”, she said at her briefing.

There is reason for the Americans to squirm with unease as the Taliban’s walk out from Qatar round has coincided with President Hamid Karzai’s demand that the US and Nato withdraw their forces from Afghan villages. Obviously, the Afghan leader has made the demand with an eye on his core constituency, which is unhappy with increasing number of civilian deaths.

For Pakistan, however, there is reason to sport a smile. Had the Qatar talks took off without hitch, it could have been a cause to entertain the thought that they were getting sidelined so early in the day. The walk-out by Taliban therefore cements their importance on the Af-Pak theatre.  This sense of glee is evident in the Pakistan security community.

“It (non-starter) was inevitable … if you work in isolation such initiatives are bound to fail,” a security official said according to a report in the Express Tribune. The dispatch by   Kamran Yousaf quotes the official as saying ““We don’t mind if the office is set up in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or any other country. Our main concern is that all stakeholders must be on board.” The official was not identified in the report as he had requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
 
Pakistan analysts are ranting against the US for what they see as Washington’s attempt to bypass both Pakistan and Afghanistan for ‘the secret negotiations with the Taliban’. Islamabad would have preferred Saudi Arabia or Turkey for such negotiations.  Security analyst Brig (retd) Mahmood Shah argues that Pakistan didn’t attempt to sabotage the initiative. “Pakistan was not happy with the US’ ‘solo flight’ but has even allowed Taliban leaders to travel to Qatar for talks”, Shah said.