A milestone in Afghanistan this week -- with Afghan forces now taking the lead for their own security.

Peace efforts also looked underway with U.S. and the Taliban agreeing to talks in Qatar. But Afghan government anger at the fanfare surrounding the opening of a Taliban office in the Gulf state threw preparations into confusion.

Brigadier General Heinz J. Feldmann is the spokesman for International Security Assistance Force.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRIGADIER GENERAL HEINZ J. FELDMANN, SAYING:

"We hear a lot of messages here -- going back and forth this week. And you understand as an ISAF spokesman I am not in a position to talk about bilateral or trilateral things going on as far as the peace process is concerned. What I can tell you is that our concerns is that the Afghan people are really proud of their security forces, and they should be."

Word of the U.S.-Taliban talks had raised hopes that Afghanistan and the Taliban might enter their first-ever direc