Afghanistan Times
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Removing barriers from lasting peace road stressed
AT News Report
KABUL: A number of politicians led by former President Hamid Karzai sat for the second time in front of Taliban representatives in Russia’s capital city of Moscow, a session followed by the February gathering called as ‘Moscow Meeting’, in which the two sides discussed peace ways in the war-torn country and stressed over removing barriers to a lasting peace.
This time, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban’s co-founder and head of insurgents’ political office based in Qatar headed the discussions on behalf of the militants, where he said that Taliban want peace.
The meeting apparently coincides with the 100th anniversary
of Afghanistan-Russia political relationship.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, former president Hamid Karzai,
Taliban’s chief negotiator Mullah Baradar, high peace council chairman Mohammad
Karim Khalili, political leaders Mohammad Mohaqiq, Ata Noor and HaneefAtmar as
well as Afghan Ambassador to Moscow, Latif Bahand spoke on the first of two-day
meeting.
Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, ZamirKabulov told Afghan parties that
they had enough time to speak on peace.
Lavrov said in his speech that Afghanistan’s issue has no military solution. He
hoped that peace be soon ensured in Afghanistan, emphasizing that his country
would stand with Afghanistan against Daesh terrorist group.
former President Hamid Karzai said that Kabul relationship with Moscow was
“very important”.
“Afghanistan has good relations with Russia. From the Afghan people’s point of view, having an inclusive relation has many advantages and we want a friendly relationship with all countries, especially the countries of the region and the neighboring countries,” he said at the meeting.
Karzai called for presence and active role of powerful countries like China and Russia in establishing peace in the region and Afghanistan.
Mullah Baradar said in a short speech that Afghanistan “has been invaded”,
adding that it was necessary to end invasion for reaching peace.
ShahabuddinDelawar, another Taliban negotiator read the
group’s statement, in which the militants mentioned the Soviet Union’s economic
and strategic cooperation with Afghanistan. The statement said that relations
between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union were built based on mutual respects.
Afghan ambassador who was representing foreign minister, thanked Moscow for
hosting the meeting.
Political leaders said they wanted good relationship with
“our Taliban brothers”.
the meeting come one week after the sixth round of talks between Taliban and US
diplomats ended without any result. Taliban ask for immediate US withdrawal, while
Washington urges that the group should guarantee that Afghanistan would not be
used by international terrorist groups to threaten US and its allies in Europe.
