BERLIN (Reuters) The United States welcomes Afghan reconciliation efforts but believes recent reports about secret talks between the Taliban and Afghan government are exaggerated, the senior US official for Pakistan and Afghanistan said. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said in Berlin on Monday that Afghan President Hamid Karzai has made it clear his government has been in contact with people in the Taliban on a continuing basis. But he warned against over-emphasising those contacts. The reports greatly exceed the reality, Holbrooke told a group of journalists and German political leaders. Its the press 'flavour of the month to write about this subject. President Barack Obama has backed Karzais efforts to open the door to Taliban members who renounce violence and links to al-Qaeda, but Washington has so far been wary of overtures to Taliban leaders. Holbrooke said the United States is not in the talks. The facts are, as President Karzai stated in a CNN interview to be broadcast tonight, what he said was quite clear there: that theyve been in contact with people with the Taliban on a continuing basis. Were not involved in those talks but we support them provided they follow the 'red lines that are absolutely critical because we have a strategic interest here, he added. He said the 'red lines are: That anyone deciding to rejoin the political system in Afghanistan has to renounce al-Qaeda, lay down their arms and participate in the constitution with particular attention to role of minorities and women. If people do that, theres room for them. Thousands of people rallied to the government since 2002 under those provisions. And the door is open for that. And thats what President Karzai is working on - with our support.