*KABUL: *Afghan politicians are set to attend a two-day meeting with theTaliban in Moscow this week, officials confirmed on Monday, as fightingcontinues to rage in Afghanistan amid troubled peace talks.
The meeting, set to run the 28th and 29th of May, will mark the 100thanniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said a 14-member delegation washeading to Moscow, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the group’s toppolitical leader.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s chief negotiator and formerdeputy minister of foreign affairs, will also attend, Mujahid said in astatement.
From the Afghan political establishment, former president Hamid Karzai isset to make an appearance, with his spokesperson Yousof Saha suggesting theAfghan and Taliban delegations might meet on the sidelines for informaltalks, but he noted nothing was guaranteed.
And a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s high peace council — tasked withhelping facilitate peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban — will attend,said Karim Khalili, who heads the body.
The potential talks would mark the second time leaders from the militantmovement have met with opposition leaders in Russia, following a raresummit in February that saw the former foes praying together and chattingover meals.
However, no representatives from President Ashraf Ghani’s administrationwere at those informaltalks, spurring fears he was being further sidelined in the ongoing peaceprocess.
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The latest meeting in Moscow comes weeks after a sixth round of talksbetween the US and Taliban wrapped in Doha with no tangible progress citedby the negotiating teams.
The Taliban have said peace negotiations were stumbling over thefundamental question of when foreign forces would depart Afghanistan.
The US however has refused to agree to a withdrawal as part of an eventualdeal until the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire, andother commitments including an “intra-Afghan” dialogue with the Kabulgovernment and other Afghan representatives.
The Taliban have a political wing in Qatar and in recent weeks have metwith Roland Kobia, the EU’s special envoy for Afghanistan, as well asGerman special envoy Markus Potzel.
Moscow appears to be gaining influence in the ongoing process, with the USannouncing last month that Washington had reached a consensus with Chinaand Russia on the key formula for a peace deal it is negotiating inAfghanistan. -APP/AFP
