MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. The foreign ministers of the Central Asian "group of five" (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Russia have been encouraging constructive talks between Kabul and the Taliban, according to the top diplomats’ joint statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website following their meeting in Tashkent.

"We hope for constructive talks between official Kabul and the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia - TASS) in order to develop coordinated approaches to cease the years-long war and to establish Afghanistan as a peaceful, independent and sovereign state," the document said.

On February 14, 2003, the Russian Supreme Court declared the Taliban to be a terrorist organization. The extremist organization’s activities are outlawed nationwide.