MOSCOW – Russia hopes that peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban are”suspended”, and not “dead”, Russian special envoy for Afghanistan said onTuesday.

“We regret that the [negotiation] process has been suspended. We stillthink that it is not dead but suspended. Emotions are running high, go offscale on both sides, nevertheless, it seems to us that after a certainperiod of time the parties will return and continue the process ofnegotiations and finalizing the deal,” Zamir Kabulov told reporters inMoscow.

Kabulov’s remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said thatpeace talks with the Taliban are “dead” after cancelling a planned meetingoutside of the nation’s capital, in retaliation for recent Taliban attackin Kabul, which killed a dozen people, including a U.S. service member.

He said Russia considers the U.S.-Taliban deal as an “important step” thatwould pave the way to the national reconciliation and further comprehensivesettlement of the Afghan crisis, and expects it will finally happen.

The raging Afghan conflict is in its 18th year, with thousands of liveslost and millions forced to flee their homes. The UN repeatedly calls forurgent need to seize opportunities for peace in the region. -AA