Karzai eyes Taliban office in Qatar state visit Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, walks with Afghan president Hamid Karzai, March 10, 2013. Hagel is traveling to Afghanistan on his first trip as the 24th Secretary of Defense to visit U.S. Troops, NATO leaders, and Afghan counterparts. DOHA, Qatar, March 30 (UPI) -- Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Qatar Saturday where officials say he will discuss the initial steps to begin peace talks with the Taliban. Those preliminary moves include the possibility of the Taliban opening a political office in the Persian Gulf nation, the BBC reported. The establishment of an office in Qatar would allow Afghanistan to create a formal way to initiate peace talks with the militant group. A high-level delegation accompanied Karzai, including his foreign minister, national security adviser and the chairman of the peace council, Khaama Press reported. During his two-day state visit, the president will meet with the Emir of Qatar and senior Qatari officials about enhancing cooperation between the two countries and Afghanistan's peace process, said a statement from a Karzai spokesman