Russia to invite Taliban to international talks in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Leader of the Russian Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov, via teleconference call at Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap

Russia will invite the Taliban to international talks on Afghanistan scheduled for October 20 in Moscow, the Kremlin's envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said Thursday.

In response to a question from Russian journalists on whether representatives of the hardline group would be invited to negotiations involving China, India, Iran and Pakistan, Kabulov said: “Yes”.

The talks will follow a G20 summit on Afghanistan on October 12 that will seek to help the country avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the wake of the Taliban takeover.

Kabulov was also asked whether Russia would deliver aid to Afghanistan, where the humanitarian crisis is growing worse, a top UN official warned Wednesday.

Russia would do, but the details were still being decided, Kabulov said.

“This is being worked out,” he told journalists, saying “cargo” was being collected. (AFP)