Taliban Accepts Uzbekistan's Offer To Host Next Intra-Afghan Talks- Uzbek Foreign Ministry

The Doha-based political office of Taliban have backed Uzbekistan's proposal to hold a new round of intra-Afghan talks in its southern city of Samarkand, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said on Thursday

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2019) The Doha-based political office of Taliban have backed Uzbekistan's proposal to hold a new round of intra-Afghan talks in its southern city of Samarkand, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

An intra-Afghan conference in Qatar in July saw representatives of the Taliban political office meet with some 40 Afghan officials and activists, who were not acting in their official capacity. The militants have so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government in Kabul, which they consider a US puppet.

"The head of the political office of the Taliban movement supported holding the next round of intra-Afghan dialogue in Samarkand," the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During the meeting with Taliban delegates led by Mullah Baradar Akhund, Uzbek officials discussed political process in Afghanistan. The intra-Afghan talks complement a separate effort by the United States to reach a peace deal with the Taliban by September.