AT-KABUL: The Moscow conference on the Afghanistan planned to be held in early September, was postponed, after a telephonic conversation between President Ashraf Ghani and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, presidential office said.
The president’s office said in a statement that the conference needed more preparedness and because Afghan government was not fully prepared, the conference was postponed.
President Ghani thanked Russia for efforts regarding the Afghan peace program, calling it an important and influential country in the region.
He informed Lavrov of the comprehensive program made in the second Kabul Conference, saying that it was prepared with the consultation of the people of Afghanistan and was supported by the international community that includes basic principles.
He added that the basic principles were Afghan-owned of the peace talks and should be considered in every event held over the Afghan peace.
The government had earlier said it would not the Moscow conference in which representatives from 12 countries as well as representatives from Taliban were expected to attend.
Prior to the Afghan government’s refusal, the US had said it would not attend the conference. Some reports and analysis link the refusal of Afghanistan to the decision of the United States, saying that the latter had likely asked Kabul not to attend.