Gates: US in ‘preliminary’ talks with Taliban for ‘a few weeks’

Outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates confirmed on Sunday that there have been “preliminary” talks between U.S. officials and the

Taliban about ending the 10 year-old war in Afghanistan.

“I think there’s been outreach by a number of countries, including the United States,” Gates said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “These contacts are very preliminary at this point.”

{mosads}Gates said the talks were being handled by the State Department, but at a level below the secretary of State.

Asked how long the talks had been going on, Gates said, “A few weeks maybe.”

Word of negotiations with the Taliban came first from Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday.

But Gates said Sunday that an immediate end to the fighting was not likely.

“My own thoughts are that real reconciliation talks are not likely to be able to make any substantive headway until at least this winter,” he said. “I think the Taliban have to feel themselves under military pressure and begin to believe that they can’t win before they are willing to have a serious conversation.”

Gates is stepping down from as Defense secretary in less than two weeks.