Russia hosts Af meeting to create 'favourable conditions for direct talks' with Taliban

Russia on Friday hosted a conference on Afghanistan to create "favourable conditions for the start of direct talks" with the Taliban whose representatives were present at the high-profile meeting which was attended by India for the first time.

"We are determined to make every possible effort to facilitate the opening of a new page in the history of Afghanistan," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, opening the second Moscow meeting on Afghanistan.

He said Russia and the countries of the region will continue to do everything possible to launch dialogue between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban (banned in Russia), the state-run Itar Tass news agency reported.

Addressing the gathering, Lavrov said the conference was "aimed at building an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue in order to advance the national reconciliation process."
"That said, we welcome the delegations of the Afghan High Peace Council and the Taliban movement," Lavrov said. "Their participation in today's event is intended to make an important contribution to efforts to create conditions for direct talks between the government, the Taliban movement, public and political circles."
He outlined the threat posed by the Islamic State group in Afghanistan and said the group has relied on foreign sponsors in a bid to "turn Afghanistan into a springboard for its expansion in Central Asia."
The first such meeting, proposed for September 4 of this year, was called off at the last moment after the Afghan government pulled out, describing its involvement in the Moscow meeting as "unnecessary" as the Taliban had "disrespected internationally-sanctioned principles and rejected the message of peace and direct negotiations."