US in 'preliminary outreach' to Taliban - Clinton

“A political solution is possible in Afghanistan, and the United States is in preliminary outreach to the Taliban there,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has told the US Senate.

"We believe that a political solution ... is possible. The United States has a broad range of contacts at many levels across Afghanistan and the region ... including very preliminary outreach to members of the Taliban," Clinton said during a hearing in Washington.

She added that "this is not a pleasant business," but part of efforts to end the insurgency in Afghanistan.