The Taliban say they have reached a preliminary agreement to set up a political office, possibly in Qatar, as part of Western plans to end the war.
A statement confirmed the move, which has been backed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Both the US and Germany have been pushing for such a representation in an effort to kick-start negotiations.
The office is seen by some as a key step towards ending the 10-year-long conflict in Afghanistan.
But it still remains unclear if the insurgents, who claim to be winning the war, are prepared to engage in truly meaningful peace talks - and whether they could take place while international forces continue to kill Taliban fighters and commanders, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul.
bbc.com
