Russia studying document initiating talks between official Kabul, moderate wing of Taliban - newspaper
MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - A roadmap for launching a negotiation process between the administration of Afghanistan and the movement Taliban (the organization is banned in Russia) has already been drafted by the Afghan government and has been provided to Moscow to be studied, Russian presidential special envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov told the newspaper Izvestiya.
Russia will state its position on the document in Kabul on February 1, Kabulov said.
"Zamir Kabulov, the Russian president's special envoy on Afghanistan and director of the Second Asian Department of the Foreign Ministry, told Izvestiya that Afghanistan has provided to Moscow a draft roadmap for launching a negotiation process between the Afghan government and the Taliban. It is now being studied and Russia's official position on it will be stated in a special meeting in Kabul on February 1," the report said.
"It is very important that the document should suit all conflict parties, Kabul and the Taliban. However, there are some questions to the document. High-ranking persons will meet in Afghanistan on February 1 and a representative of Russia will attend the meeting. That's when we will state our position," Kabulov said.
The roadmap shows that the government of Afghanistan has made a step forward in the realization of the need for negotiations and the impossibility of settling the situation using other methods.
"We will do everything to support the peace process in Afghanistan and make diplomatic efforts for it," Kabulov said, adding that Russia is ready to offer Moscow as a site for the negotiations.
"The current situation may lead to a big crisis, which Russia doesn't need. Afghanistan may become the main global incubator of international terrorism. Moscow understands that, it is following the situation closely and is ready for possible destabilization of the region," Kabulov was quoted as saying by Izvestiya.
The movement Taliban was recognized as terrorist in accordance with the Russian legislation and is banned in Russia.