Moscow will host a meeting between the Uzbek Foreign Ministry and the “Taliban”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan will hold talks with representatives of the “Taliban” in Moscow.

On November 9, 2018, in accordance with the Russian Foreign Ministry report, Moscow will host the second consultative meeting on Afghanistan at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Diplomats. 

“At the international meeting of such level, a delegation of the political office of the “Taliban” movement will also participate for the first time,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting will be attended by the representatives of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the United States. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has decided to send a delegation of the Supreme Peace Council to the event.

On August 7-10, 2018, the Uzbek officials held talks with the “Taliban” in Tashkent. A delegation of the “Taliban” led by the head of political office located in Doha (Qatar) Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai arrived at the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry provided brief information about “the exchange of words on perspectives of the peace process in Afghanistan”.

Following this meeting, there were fake reports that the “Taliban” opened its political residency in Tashkent, so that the movement was focused on developing relations with Uzbekistan.

“This issue will not be discussed and no office will be opened,” RIA Novosti reported referring to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

The “Taliban” has been declared as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council.