KABUL – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday said the Afghangovernment will not participate in the upcoming peace meeting onAfghanistan in the Russian capital Moscow next month. The ministry saidgovernment firmly believes in intra-Afghan dialogues, TOLO News hasreported.
According to officials, the Kabul government has not received a formalinvitation to attend the talks so far.
“Any regional consensus about Pakistan needs to be structured in axis ofthe Afghan government. The peace process definitely needs to be carried outunder the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. We will notparticipate in the Moscow talks,” said MoFA deputy spokesman SibghatAhmadi.
However, a former Taliban political figure Sayed Akbar Agha said Talibanwill attend the meeting and will start discussions on the prospects ofpeace in Afghanistan with countries in the region.
“Taliban has agreed on the Moscow talks and they will attend it. Thesetalks are related to Asia. Foreign forces have come to Asian countries andthere are concerns among these countries about it. All these countries wantforeign forces to withdraw from Afghanistan,” he said.
There are reports that Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, head of Taliban’spolitical office, will lead the Taliban’s delegation in the talks.
But a perception exists that taking the Afghan peace talks to differentvenues in the west and east will complicate the reconciliation process inthe country.
“Today the Taliban are ready to talk with the US and also they are ready totalk with Russia, but those who claim to be Afghans and want to bring peacein Afghanistan or talk about the peace process should talk to Afghans.However, they are not ready to talk with the legitimate government ofAfghanistan,” former Afghan envoy to Syria Mohammadullah Haidari said.
Moscow prepares for the talks at a time that previously Alice Wells, theUS’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central AsianAffairs, met top Taliban officials in Doha.