London, Mar 29 : Defence Secretary Des Browne has said that Britain must be willing to talk to the Taliban and other extremist groups excluding the al Qaeda in order to try to stabilise the world.

Britain and other democratic states should negotiate with organisations linked to violence, including elements of the Taliban and Hizbollah, in an attempt to prevent the long-term spread of terrorism, Browne told the Daily Telegraph.

He said that the British troops would move towards 'overwatch' position in Afghanistan.

"What you need to do in conflict resolution is to bring the people who believe that the answer to their political ambitions will be achieved through violence into a frame of mind that they accept that their political ambitions will be delivered by politics," Browne said.

Although he said that there is presently nothing to negotiate about with al-Qaeda because their demand is an end to our way of life, the Government should be negotiating with some parts of the Taliban and Hizbollah.

Browne’s comments appear to contradict Gordon Brown's pledge last year that Britain would not negotiate with terrorists.

The Prime Minister had told the House of Commons: "We will not enter into negotiations with these people."

But the paper disclosed two weeks later that MI6 had secret talks with the Taliban. (ANI)