US Took Part In Moscow Talks On Afghanistan Despite Speculation - Russian Foreign Ministry

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US Took Part in Moscow Talks on Afghanistan Despite Speculation - Russian Foreign Ministry

A representative of the US Embassy in Moscow took part in the recent meeting on Afghan settlement in the Russian capital despite speculation that the United States would boycott the second round of the Moscow format talks the same way it did with the first round, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Asian Department Zamir Kabulov said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2018) A representative of the US Embassy in Moscow took part in the recent meeting on Afghan settlement in the Russian capital despite speculation that the United States would boycott the second round of the Moscow format talks the same way it did with the first round, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Asian Department Zamir Kabulov said on Monday.

The second round of talks in the Moscow format was held on November 9 and brought together representatives of 11 countries as well as the Taliban movement. The negotiations were marked by a closed-door meeting between the Afghanistan High Peace Council, which represented Afghanistan � but not its government � and the political office of the Taliban in Doha, which took part in this kind of meeting for the first time.

"The [US] seat was not empty, a political adviser from the US Embassy was present.

At the last moment, they announced that they would participate," Kabulov told reporters at a press conference.

The first round of the Moscow format consultations took place in April 2017 and was attended by deputy foreign ministers and senior officials from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The United States had been invited as well but refused to participate, claiming that the consultations were Russia's attempt to expand its influence in the region.

Washington maintains a military presence in Afghanistan as part of the NATO Resolute Support Mission, aimed at providing training and assistance to the Afghan security forces, which continue to fight numerous rebel and terrorist groups operating in the country.