Moscow ready to 3rd party role in US-Taliban deal

KABUL if requested, a state media reported.

“The Russian side is ready to be the third party at the signing or a guarantor of how the deal between the United States and the Taliban movement is implemented,” the TASS news agency quoted ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

The 9^th round of talks with Taliban ongoing as both sides said they were moving closer to a deal.

Talks over how to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan have been held in Doha, capital of Qatar, since late last year. The ninth round of talks began last week.

However, it is yet to be clear that whether US urge Russia for such role to play but some Taliban source earlier said that Russian and Pakistan would guaranty peace deal.

On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow would support Afghan security forces in fighting terrorism after peace deal.

Addressing a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Lavorv said Russian and India hold similar position about Afghanistan.

 Sa