Afghan Govt Will Not Attend Peace Talks in Moscow
The Afghan Government has refused to participate in the meeting organized by Russia on Friday to discuss a solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, negotiations that the Taliban will attend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
According to the spokesman for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, Sibghat Ahmadi, the excutive of President Ashraf Ghani decided not to participate in the talks in Moscow, but it will send representatives of the High Council for Peace (HPC).
HPC Deputy Chief Hajji Deen Mohammad will attend the Moscow peace meeting independently, said HPC Spokesman Ihsan Taheri, adding that 'the agenda will focus on direct negotiations between the government and the Taliban.'
Kabul expects the Taliban to announce its willingness to negotiate soon and that the meeting will be 'a big step' in the peace process, said Taheri, who was quoted by Tolonews.
On Tuesday, the Taliban movement confirmed sending a delegation to the meeting.
Russia invited representatives from China, United States, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to this Moscow Format meeting, originally scheduled for September 4.
The US Department of State confirmed that an official from its embassy in the Russian capital would attend Friday's meeting.
The United States Embassy in Moscow, in coordination with the Afghan Government, will send a representative to the working table to observe the discussions, said Deputy Spokesman Robert Palladino.
Afghan political figures such as former President Hamid Karzai and the general director of the Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan, Attar Mohammad Noor, have also announced their attendance at the meeting.
The first meeting of the Moscow Format, conceived by Russia to foster the process of national reconciliation in that country, in war for 17 years, was held on April 14, 2017, and was attended by representatives of Ashraf Ghani's executive, although without encouraging results.
In July 2015, the Taliban and members of the Government met in Pakistan for what was considered to be the first direct contact between both sides.
However, talks ended sterile after the death in 2013 of the insurgent group's spiritual guide, Mullah Omar.
Kabul expects the Taliban to announce its willingness to negotiate soon and that the meeting will be 'a big step' in the peace process, said Taheri, who was quoted by Tolonews.
On Tuesday, the Taliban movement confirmed sending a delegation to the meeting.
Russia invited representatives from China, United States, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to this Moscow Format meeting, originally scheduled for September 4.
The US Department of State confirmed that an official from its embassy in the Russian capital would attend Friday's meeting.
The United States Embassy in Moscow, in coordination with the Afghan Government, will send a representative to the working table to observe the discussions, said Deputy Spokesman Robert Palladino.
Afghan political figures such as former President Hamid Karzai and the general director of the Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan, Attar Mohammad Noor, have also announced their attendance at the meeting.
The first meeting of the Moscow Format, conceived by Russia to foster the process of national reconciliation in that country, in war for 17 years, was held on April 14, 2017, and was attended by representatives of Ashraf Ghani's executive, although without encouraging results.
In July 2015, the Taliban and members of the Government met in Pakistan for what was considered to be the first direct contact between both sides.
However, talks ended sterile after the death in 2013 of the insurgent group's spiritual guide, Mullah Omar.
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