HPC delegation to attend peace talks in Moscow

KABUL delegation from Doha.

Russia in August proposed holding multilateral peace talks in Moscow, and invited 12 countries and the Taliban to attend a summit the following month.

But the meeting was postponed after Ghani rejected the invitation on the grounds that talks with the Taliban should be led by the Afghan government.

In a statement on Saturday, Russia’s foreign ministry said the talks were now confirmed to be held on November 9.

On Saturday, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the discussions regarding participation in the Moscow summit were underway.

“Our discussions are underway and we are working to reach a result regarding participation in Moscow conference,” Ahmadi added.

On the other hand, a credible governmental source, who wished not to be named, told Pajhwok Afghan News that President Ghani directed HPC head Karim Khalili, Secretary Akram Khapalwak, Aqchon, Habiba Surabi, Haji Din Mohammad and Atta Ul Rahman Saleem to attend the conference in Moscow.

Khalili was abroad and Khapalwak refused to take part in the delegation, therefore, the rest other officials would attend the summit, the source explained.

According to the MoFA, the meeting will not be effective if it went without Afghanistan’s participation.

 About participation of some political and influential figures from the country in the conference, Ahmadi said the government was not responsible for their participation. “They are influential persons and they have been invited to the conference, it depends on them whether or not to attend it,” he said.

A statement from former president Hamid Karzai office said the former president was also participating in the Moscow conference.

According to some media reports, Atta Mohammad Noor, former governor of Balkh province and incumbent executive head of the Jamiat-i-Islami Afghanistan (JIA) is likely to take part in the Moscow huddle.

In a statement on Saturday, Russia’s foreign ministry said it would be the first time that a delegation from the Taliban’s political office in Doha would attend such a high-level international meeting.

Russia has invited several other countries including India, Iran, Pakistan, China and the United States to send their representatives to the conference.

Sa/mds

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