VLADIVOSTOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) Moscow expects that representatives of the Taliban movement will participate in the new consultations on the situation in Afghanistan, expected to take place by the end of this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov told Sputnik on Monday.
"The Taliban [representatives] were prepared to come [to the talks] even in September, and we expect them to be ready if [consultations will take place] later," Morgulov said.
The diplomat added that Moscow expected the new meeting on Afghanistan to take place "in the fall or before the end of this year."
Moscow attempted to arrange a meeting on Afghanistan earlier in September but decided to postpone it after Kabul refused to attend it.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said earlier on Monday that dialogue with the Taliban, if successful, could promote stability in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has long been suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to simmering Taliban insurgency. The violence is exacerbated by the activities of various terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia).
