20 June 2013 – In his briefing to the UN Security Council today, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš, hoped that “the current controversies and legitimate concerns” around the Taliban office in Doha would soon be resolved thus opening the way for “direct peace and reconciliation discussions between the High Peace Council and the Taliban”. He also hoped that this will lead to a reduction of civilian casualties in the country.