KABUL - Russian deputy ambassador to Afghanistan Albert Khorev on Thursday said that a meeting between representatives from Russia and the United States could likely take place in Moscow next month.
He said that Russia expects the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad to visit Russia.
Meanwhile, deputy head of Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC) Attaullah Saleem has said that the participation of an HPC delegation at a second meeting with the Taliban would not be appropriate.
The statements were made during an event in Kabul organized by the Afghanistan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) on the subject of peace in Afghanistan.
At the event, one participant Khalil Roman accused Russian intelligence of having ties with the Taliban.
“You should not have doubts about it that your (Russian intelligence) has ties (with Taliban) and they have done this, I know tens of people who were talked to about this,” said writer Khalil Roman.
The Russian envoy meanwhile said that Moscow was not providing support to the Taliban.
“Russia is not providing any financial or armed support to the Taliban,” said Khorev.
“The US has not taken into consideration the views of neighboring countries. Eleven countries participated in the Moscow conference, but the Afghan government did not have a specific representative and the meeting ended up under the leadership of the high peace council, but people from various ethnicities participated. Moscow meeting proved that the Afghan people have got national unity,” said Russian political analyst Nikolay Filchenkov.
“Certain countries were named who have got concerns about the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan,” said HPC deputy chief Attaullah Saleem.
“The most positive point which was seen at the Moscow meeting was that the Americans finally agreed to send one of their embassy diplomats to participate as observer. InshaAllah (God willing) I think you also heard from Kabulov (Zamir Kabulov Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan) and Kabulov said that he expects Mr. Khalilzad will visit Moscow in December,” added Khorev.
According to the HPC, within the next few days, an authorized negotiating team which will include representatives of government, political parties and civil society will start its work, however the team will not report to government and instead it will pursue its agenda as an independent body. (Tolo news)