Moscow may be new venue for Afghan peace talks

Russia has hinted at hosting next rounds of the ongoing intra-Afghan peace negotiations, which remain snail-paced over the past two months

President Putin’s special envoy for Afghanistan said on Wednesday: “Despite reports on the resumption of meetings by the negotiating teams after a 45-day lull, we need to acknowledge that there is still an impasse in Doha.”

A Russian media outlet quoted Zamir Kabulov as saying: “We call on the two sides to show flexibility and give mutual privileges with the aim of promoting peaceful negotiations.”

A new venue for negotiations should be chosen by the negotiation delegations, he suggested, saying Moscow could be one of places for hosting the intra-Afghan dialogue.

Taliban’s representatives have visited Moscow several times in recent years, despite the fact that Russia declared the movement as a terrorist group in 2003.