Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, joined by political leaders and peace negotiators left Kabul on Wednesday to Russia for Moscow conference on Afghan peace, his office confirmed.
“We acknowledge the pivotal role of Afghanistan’s neighbors, and Russia in establishing a lasting peace in the country,” Abdullah's office said. “We strongly believe that Moscow conference will boost the Doha peace talks, and the upcoming Turkey conference on Afghanistan.”
On Tuesday, Abdullah's office said that a 12-member delegation of the Afghan government led by Abdullah will attend the Moscow conference.
The one-day conference will be held on Thursday and the Taliban representatives will also join the conference.
In the meantime, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Tuesday said it appreciates efforts made by Afghanistan’s neighboring countries and regional and international partners for peace and emphasizes the importance of continuing these efforts and cooperation.
“Appreciating the importance of the Troika meeting on Afghanistan peace in Moscow and the proposed peace conference in Turkey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers them complementary to the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations in Doha and not as a substitute to it,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is currently engaged in negotiation with the Taliban delegation in Doha and these negotiations will continue in the future.
US Department of State has confirmed that the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, will participate in the upcoming Moscow conference that is scheduled for the end of this week.
Officials from the Jamiat-e-Islami party said that no representatives from the party have been invited to the Moscow conference that is to begin on Thursday.
There are unconfirmed reports that a meeting will be held between Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council of National Reconciliation, and Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Moscow.
