US Embassy Calls Moscow Consultations on Afghanistan ‘Constructive’

“U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad held consultations on Friday, October 25, with Russian and Chinese counterparts, as well as officials from Pakistan, as part of a continued effort to support the Afghan people’s desire for an end to war and a lasting peace. The meetings were positive and constructive,” the statement said.
The consultations involved Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Pakistani counterpart Muhemmed Aejaz, and Chinese Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Deng Xijun.
The delegates from the four countries held their last meeting in Beijing in July when the U.S.-Taliban talks had reached an advanced stage, and the two adversaries in the 18-year-old Afghan war believed they had come close to concluding a peace deal.
Russia emphasized the need to resume talks between the United States and the Taliban group (outlawed in Russia) as soon as possible.
These talks were launched in autumn 2018, but the Afghan government did not take part in the negotiations and was briefed on their results post factum.
After nine rounds of talks, the US special representative for Afghanistan in September this year confirmed that a peace agreement had been achieved with the Taliban in principle.
Among other things it envisaged the pullout of more than 5,000 US troops from the country. However, US President Donald Trump later canceled secret preparations for a meeting with his Afghan counterpart and the Taliban at Camp David. The talks have remained paused ever since.