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Developments in Afghanistan

Lasting peace in Afghanistan impossible without dialogue with Taliban — Russian diplomat

"We are convinced that any productive discussion of the situation in Afghanistan is impossible without direct involvement of the country’s de-facto authorities," Vasily Nebenzya said at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan

UNITED NATIONS, June 21. /TASS/. Lasting peace in Afghanistan is impossible without dialogue with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia as a terrorist organization), Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.

"We are convinced that any productive discussion of the situation in Afghanistan is impossible without direct involvement of the country’s de-facto authorities," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan. "Russia fully supports the right and desire of the Afghan people to live in peace and stability. And the stability in the region depends on this. However, it is impossible to build a lasting and sustainable peace without interaction with the de-facto authorities on a wide range of problems, and there is no alternative to this path. The way out of the current dead end and Afghanistan’s subsequent international reintegration depend on this."

Meanwhile, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva said that the United Nations welcomes Taliban’s willingness to take part in an UN conference on Afghanistan in Doha and thinks that this is essential for beginning the process of building trust between the Taliban and the world community.

Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the TOLO News television channel on June 16 that the movement will take part in the UN conference on Taliban in Doha scheduled for June 30 through July 1. Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan and director of the foreign ministry’s second Asia department Zamir Kabulov told TASS on June 11 that he will attend the conference.

The previous UN-brokered conference in Doha was held in February. Representatives of 25 countries discussed a roadmap for relations with Afghanistan. The Taliban refused from taking part in the conference, saying that they object both to inviting Afghan opposition activists and its agenda.

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