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Iran, India and Russia should take part in settlement of crisis in Afghanistan - Karzai

"The problem in Afghanistan is because of external factors. It is the interests of outside powers that have engulfed our country," Karzai said.

Ex-president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai EPA/HARISH TYAGI

Ex-president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai

© EPA/HARISH TYAGI

TEHRAN, February 7. /TASS/. Potentials of Iran, India and Russia should be used to give a new impetus to peace talks between Afghanistan authorities and Taliban movement and establish security in Afghanistan, ex-president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai said in an interview with Iran’s Fars News Agency.

"If absence of peace in Afghanistan is because of internal disputes, then we ourselves should hold talks to settle our differences. However, the problem in Afghanistan is because of external factors. It is the interests of outside powers that have engulfed our country," Karzai said.

"Pakistan, China and the US are involved in the negotiations, making efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. However, Iran, India and Russia, which are important regional states and neighbors, should also be part of the process," he added.

The third meeting of the quadripartite (the United States, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) was held in Islamabad on Saturday to continue work on a roadmap for peace talks with Taliban insurgents. The group members agreed "to make joint efforts to determine the specific date of direct talks between the Afghanistan’s government and representatives of all fractions of Taliban movement. The next meeting is scheduled to February 23 in Kabul.

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