Afghan President Hamid Karzai renewed a call for talks with Taliban insurgents yesterday, shortly after a security scare forced him to cut short a commemoration speech when gunshots were fired outside the venue. State television showed Karzai, who has survived several assassination attempts by suspected Taliban members, being led away unharmed from Kabul?s packed sports arena by his U.S.-trained bodyguards as spectators lay flat in the stands.

Defence ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said shots were fired outside the stadium, though he did not know by whom or whether there were any casualties.

Some witnesses said police had fired into the air to disperse those who wanted to force their way into the stadium, but there was no word of any casualties.

The ceremony was held to mark the sixth anniversary of the assassination of anti-Taliban Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Masood in 2001 by a suspected al Qaeda suicide bomber two days before the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Later, Karzai called for talks with his Taliban foes. He made no reference to the security scare. ?We don?t have any formal negotiations with the Taliban. They don?t have an address.

Who do we talk to ??

Karzai has repeatedly offered talks with the Taliban, but the guerrillas have refused.