The next Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan will be held in Moscow on November 9, representatives of the Taliban radical movement (outlawed in Russia) will take part in it, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Saturday, TASS reported.
"On November 9, Moscow will host the second meeting of the Moscow-format consultations on Afghanistan at the level of deputy foreign ministers and special envoys," the ministry said. "A delegation of the Doha-based political office of the Taliban movement will take part in an international meeting of this level for the first time."
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, invitations to take part in the event have been sent to Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, the US and some other countries.
"Afghan President Ashraf Ghani decided to send a delegation of that country’s High Peace Council to the meeting," the ministry added.
The Moscow-format consultations on Afghanistan were scheduled to the held in the Russian capital on September 4. Invitations to take part in the meeting were sent to 12 countries, including the US, which refused to attend the event. The leaders of the Taliban movement’s Doha-based political were invited to take part in the meeting as well.
On August 27, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, during which the parties agreed to put off the meeting due to the personnel reshuffle in the Afghan government and agree on another date for consultations in Moscow through diplomatic channels.
Later on, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said that Russia hoped to hold a Moscow-format meeting by the end of the year.
LR/PR