Haqqani network 'ready to enter peace talks with US if Mullah Omar approves' "However, if the central shura, headed by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, decided to hold talks with the United States, we would welcome it," he told the Reuters news agency by telephone from an undisclosed, referring to the militants' leadership council. In March, the Taliban said it was halting peace talks. Meanwhile, the 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of international forces draws nearer with many Taliban watchers concluding that the insurgents are content to sit tight and wait for Nato-led forces to leave. The commander added that the Haqqani network welcomed Obama's re-election, predicting he would be demoralised by battlefield losses and pull out U.S. forces earlier than expected. "From what we see on the ground, Obama would not wait for 2014 to call back his forces," he said. They suffered heavy human and financial losses and are not in a position to suffer more. Meanwhile, Afghanistanﾒs High Peace Council arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Monday for three days of meetings with political and military leaders as part of an effort to cement relations between the two countries and promote talks.