Taliban request no mediation for talks with Afghan authorities - Russian foreign ministry
MOSCOW. Aug 25 (Interfax) - The Taliban has not asked anyone to mediate its talks with Kabul, and Moscow sees direct talks as an ideal option, according to Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Director of the Second Asia Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"We are not asking to be mediators, and the Taliban did not ask for anyone's mediation, neither ours, nor China's, nor America's. We are not imposing ourselves on anyone, but we would prefer the Taliban to negotiate with Kabul. That would be ideal. Whether or not they succeed is another matter," Kabulov told Interfax.
"This is an ideal option for the government in Kabul to talk directly to the Taliban without any country's interference," the Russian diplomat said.
"Any deals imposed by foreigners, even with the best motives, will be short-lived," he said.