Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk
KABUL: The talks between US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and diplomats from Russia, China and Pakistan held in Moscow on Friday were “positive and constructive,” the US Embassy in Russia said on its website on Sunday.
“U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad held consultations on Friday, October 25, with Russian and Chinese counterparts, as well as officials from Pakistan, as part of a continued effort to support the Afghan people’s desire for an end to war and a lasting peace. The meetings were positive and constructive,” the statement said.
The consultations involved Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Pakistani counterpart Muhemmed Aejaz, and Chinese Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Deng Xijun.
Russia emphasized the need to resume talks between the United States and the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) as soon as possible. These talks were launched in autumn 2018, but the government in Kabul did not take part in the negotiations and was briefed on their results post factum, TASS news agency said.
After nine rounds of talks, the US special representative for Afghanistan in September this year confirmed that a peace agreement had been achieved with the Taliban in principle. Among other things it envisaged the pullout of more than 5,000 US troops from the country. However, US President Donald Trump later canceled secret preparations for a meeting with his Afghan counterpart and the Taliban at Camp David. The talks have remained paused ever since.
