NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday hailed the start of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government as an "historic opportunity." "I welcome the start of Afghan peace talks today," he said on Twitter. "This is an historic opportunity. #NATO stands with #Afghanistan to preserve the gains made & to ensure the country never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists". The US-backed talks opened in Qatar earlier on Saturday, even as violence continues to grip Afghanistan. clp/wdb/adp