BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- i Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has held trilateral talks with British Prime Minister and Afghan President Hamid Karzai at Downing Street.

The British leader hosted the summit focusing on the Afghan reconciliation process. Just hours before their meeting, Sharif called for the Afghan Taliban to join direct talks with the Kabul-backed peace council. This is the second time a Pakistani leader has made a public appeal to the Afghan Taliban.

But the Taliban have so far refused to engage with the Karzai government on the grounds that Kabul has no power. The Afghan government and its western allies say Islamabad still enjoys deep influence on the Taliban and can help encourage them to join the peace process.

(Source: CNTV.cn)