Taliban insists on withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan as main precondition for peace
MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) - The peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan requires the withdrawal of all foreign troops, Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, the head of the delegation of the Taliban (banned in Russia) to consultations in Moscow, said on Friday.
"For a peaceful settlement, all foreign troops must leave Afghanistan," Stanikzai told journalists following the talks.
The Taliban brought the matter up at talks with U.S. representatives several weeks ago, he said.
"But the negotiations are not yet at a stage where we can make this demand and receive an answer to it," Stanikzai said.
"The Moscow Format went successfully. We heard the positions of all the participants and voiced our own considerations," he said.
"We are grateful to Russia for the invitation and hope this event will not be the last," Stanikzai said.