Russia To Continue Contacts With Key States To Promote Intra-Afghan Talks - Lavrov

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th February, 2021) Russia will continue to maintain contacts with key regional players and other countries capable of promoting the inter-Afghan talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

"We will continue to maintain contacts with key external players - the United States, China, Pakistan, India and Iran, Central Asian countries - contacts that should help to ensure the success of direct, inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations. This is an uncontested task," Lavrov said at a press conference after a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar.

The meeting comes as the Afghan government continues peace talks with the Taliban in Doha, which kicked off in September. The sides, however, have so far failed to put an end to the confrontation on the ground, as clashes between the government forces and the Taliban movement continue to occur.