Russia to invite Taliban for multilateral Afghan talks in Moscow

Moscow, Oct 7 (EFE).- Russia will invite the Taliban for the international talks on Afghanistan in Moscow that it plans to host on Oct 20, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on Afghanistan said Thursday.

Zamir Kabulov, the special envoy, answered in affirmative when a reporter sought to know if Russia planned to invite the Taliban.

“Yes,” he said.

The envoy, however, did not specify the level of the Taliban representation.

The consultations, known as the “Moscow format,” will also include representatives from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, and India.

Moscow has, so far, not recognized the outlawed Taliban militia as the new Afghan government, a decision that has conditioned their future steps at the helm of the country.

Before seizing power in Kabul, the Taliban visited Moscow in March for talks of the “expanded troika” on Afghanistan.

The delegates included those from Russia, the US, China, Pakistan, and the then-Afghan government.

Moscow, which has hosted several meetings related to Afghanistan over the past few years, previously criticized the Ashraf Ghani government for its unwillingness to negotiate with the Taliban. EFE

aj/ssk