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Afghan politicians invited to conference on Afghanistan in Moscow

The Taliban is also invited to Moscow as well as representatives of other countries, according to Tolo News TV channel

MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/. /TASS/. Afghan politicians, including President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) Abdullah Abdullah, have been invited to attend a peace conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18, HCNR Spokesman Faraidoon Khawzon noted Tuesday, adding that the Taliban is also invited to Moscow as well as representatives of other countries.

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"Politicians from Afghanistan, including President Ghani and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah as well as envoys from other states and representatives of the Taliban are expected to take part in the Moscow meeting on March 18 to discuss the Afghan peace process," Afghanistan’s Tolo News TV channel quoted the spokesman as saying. "The HCNR is conducting consultations about the meeting and will make a decision whether to take part in it or not. Russia plays an important role in the Afghan peace process."

The meeting will aim to breathe a new life into the Afghanistan talks in Doha, Qatar, and put an end to the long-standing conflict in the country. The channel cited its sources to note that the meeting had been agreed with the US. According to Tolo News, China, the US and Pakistan will field their representatives to the conference. The Afghan president’s office is yet to comment, the channel underscored.

Earlier, the US proposed holding a peace conference on Afghanistan under the UN auspices in Turkey.

The Afghan government and the Taliban have been engaged in contacts in Doha since last September as the sides try to launch peace talks. However, the negotiations have been driven into a deadlock lately with the sides being unable to coordinate even the agenda.

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