India is all set to participate in the 'Moscow Format' meeting on Afghanistan. The meet is scheduled to take place on the 20th of October in the Russian capital.

Russia calls for 'Moscow Format' meeting on Afghanistan

Afghan politicians are set to attend a two-day meeting with the Taliban in Moscow this week, officials confirmed Monday, as fighting continues to rage in Afghanistan amid ongoing peace talks between the US and the militants.

The meeting -- set to run from the 27th and 28th of May -- will mark the 100th anniversary of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-rivals-say-no-closer-to-direct-talks-after-moscow-meeting-176527">diplomatic relations</a> between Russia and Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the insurgents were planning to send a delegation to attend the ceremony but provided no further details.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's high peace council -- which is charged with helping facilitate peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban -- said Karim Khalili, who heads the body, will also be in attendance.

Former president Hamid Karzai is also set to make an appearance, with his spokesman Yousof Saha&nbsp;suggesting the Afghan and Taliban delegations might meet on the sidelines of the ceremony for informal talks but noted that nothing was guaranteed.

The potential talks would mark the second time leaders from the militant movement have met with opposition leaders in Russia, following a rare sit down between the two sides in February that saw members of the Taliban and Afghan politicians praying together and chatting over meals. &nbsp;&nbsp;

However, no representatives from the current administration of President Ashraf Ghani were present at those informal talks, spurring fears the administration was being further sidelined in the ongoing peace process. &nbsp;

The latest meeting in Moscow comes weeks after the sixth round of talks between the US and Taliban wrapped in Doha with no tangible progress cited by the negotiating teams as Washington continues to push for a settlement with the militants aimed at ending its 18-year fight in Afghanistan.

The Taliban have said that peace negotiations were stumbling over the fundamental question of when foreign forces would depart Afghanistan.

The US, however, has refused to agree to withdrawal as part of an eventual deal until the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire, and other commitments including an "intra-Afghan" dialogue with the Kabul government and other Afghan representatives.

Moscow appears to be gaining influence in the ongoing process, with the US announcing last month that Washington had reached a consensus with China and Russia on the key formula for a peace deal it is negotiating in Afghanistan.

Afghan politicians are set to attend a two-day meeting with the Taliban in Moscow this week, officials confirmed Monday, as fighting continues to rage in Afghanistan amid ongoing peace talks between the US and the militants.

Afghan politicians are set to attend a two-day meeting with the Taliban in Moscow this week, officials confirmed Monday, as fighting continues to rage in Afghanistan amid ongoing peace talks between the US and the militants. The meeting -- set to run from the 27th and 28th of May -- will mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Afghanistan. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the insurgents were planning to send a delegation to attend the ceremony but provided no further details. A spokesman for Afghanistan's high peace council -- which is charged with helping facilitate peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban -- said Karim Khalili, who heads the body, will also be in attendance. Former president Hamid Karzai is also set to make an appearance, with his spokesman Yousof Saha suggesting the Afghan and Taliban delegations might meet on the sidelines of the ceremony for informal talks but noted that nothing was guaranteed. The potential talks would mark the second time leaders from the militant movement have met with opposition leaders in Russia, following a rare sit down between the two sides in February that saw members of the Taliban and Afghan politicians praying together and chatting over meals. However, no representatives from the current administration of President Ashraf Ghani were present at those informal talks, spurring fears the administration was being further sidelined in the ongoing peace process. The latest meeting in Moscow comes weeks after the sixth round of talks between the US and Taliban wrapped in Doha with no tangible progress cited by the negotiating teams as Washington continues to push for a settlement with the militants aimed at ending its 18-year fight in Afghanistan. The Taliban have said that peace negotiations were stumbling over the fundamental question of when foreign forces would depart Afghanistan. The US, however, has refused to agree to withdrawal as part of an eventual deal until the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire, and other commitments including an "intra-Afghan" dialogue with the Kabul government and other Afghan representatives. Moscow appears to be gaining influence in the ongoing process, with the US announcing last month that Washington had reached a consensus with China and Russia on the key formula for a peace deal it is negotiating in Afghanistan.

Russia invites Taliban and Afghan politicians to Moscow meeting 

Afghanistan rivals failed to reach a breakthrough on holding direct peace negotiations after international talks in Moscow on Friday, the latest international push to end the conflict.

Russia, which said it invited representatives from the United States as well as India, Iran, China and&nbsp;Pakistan, hailed the meeting as an opportunity to "open a new page" in Afghanistan's history and seek an end to the war 17 years after the US-led invasion.

The talks came with the Taliban ratcheting up pressure on Afghan police and troops this year even as the militants showed a tentative willingness to hold talks with the United States.

The Moscow meetings ended without the sides agreeing on a path to direct dialogue, the delegations from the Taliban and Kabul's High Peace Council said.

"This conference was not about direct talks," Taliban spokesman Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told journalists in translated comments quoted by Interfax news agency.

The Taliban "does not recognise the current government as legal and therefore we won't hold talks with them," he added.

"Considering our main demand is the withdrawal of foreign forces, we will discuss a peaceful resolution with the Americans."

A Taliban delegation met with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar in October to discuss ending the Afghan conflict.

Russia says the Moscow talks marked the first time that a Taliban delegation had taken part in such high-level international meeting.

Afghan delegation member Hajji Din Mohammad told journalists that Russia invited them to a new meeting but that "agreement was not reached on holding direct talks" with the Taliban, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said as the talks opened that Russia hoped "through joint efforts to open a new page in the history of Afghanistan".&nbsp;

He said the participation of both Afghan leaders and the Taliban was an "important contribution" aimed at creating "favourable conditions for the start of direct talks".

"I am counting on you holding a serious and constructive conversation that will justify the hopes of the Afghan people," he said before the rest of the meeting was held behind closed doors at a Moscow hotel.

'Greater' chance for peace

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg had said Tuesday that Afghanistan's chances for peace were "greater now" than in many years, even as the Taliban step up attacks on Afghan forces, which are suffering record high casualties.&nbsp;

The Taliban sent five representatives to Moscow but insisted they would not hold any negotiations with the delegation from Kabul.

The Afghan delegation was made up of four representatives of the High Peace Council, a government body responsible for reconciliation efforts with the militants, spokesman Sayed Ihsan Taheri said.

The Afghan foreign ministry emphasised that the council did not represent the Afghan government at the meeting, however, but was acting as a "national" non-government institution.

Pakistan, which has long been accused of providing support to the Afghan Taliban, hailed their presence at the talks.

The US embassy in Moscow sent a representative to observe the discussions.

US President Donald Trump launched a revised Afghan plan more than a year ago that saw the US scrap any timetables for a US pullout and re-commit thousands more troops to Afghanistan, most of them dedicated to training and advising local forces.

The Moscow meeting was initially scheduled for September but was postponed after Kabul insisted the process should be Afghan-led.&nbsp;

The meeting came at a sensitive time.

Newly appointed US peace envoy Khalilzad has been trying to convince the Taliban to agree to negotiate an end to the war and there are fears the Russian meeting could derail those efforts. &nbsp;

A US government watchdog last week said Kabul's control of Afghanistan had slipped in recent months as local security forces suffered heavy casualties while making minimal or no progress against the Taliban.

Afghanistan rivals failed to reach a breakthrough on holding direct peace negotiations after international talks in Moscow on Friday, the latest international push to end the conflict.

Afghanistan rivals failed to reach a breakthrough on holding direct peace negotiations after international talks in Moscow on Friday, the latest international push to end the conflict. Russia, which said it invited representatives from the United States as well as India, Iran, China and Pakistan, hailed the meeting as an opportunity to "open a new page" in Afghanistan's history and seek an end to the war 17 years after the US-led invasion. The talks came with the Taliban ratcheting up pressure on Afghan police and troops this year even as the militants showed a tentative willingness to hold talks with the United States. The Moscow meetings ended without the sides agreeing on a path to direct dialogue, the delegations from the Taliban and Kabul's High Peace Council said. "This conference was not about direct talks," Taliban spokesman Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told journalists in translated comments quoted by Interfax news agency. The Taliban "does not recognise the current government as legal and therefore we won't hold talks with them," he added. "Considering our main demand is the withdrawal of foreign forces, we will discuss a peaceful resolution with the Americans." A Taliban delegation met with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar in October to discuss ending the Afghan conflict. Russia says the Moscow talks marked the first time that a Taliban delegation had taken part in such high-level international meeting. Afghan delegation member Hajji Din Mohammad told journalists that Russia invited them to a new meeting but that "agreement was not reached on holding direct talks" with the Taliban, RIA Novosti news agency reported. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said as the talks opened that Russia hoped "through joint efforts to open a new page in the history of Afghanistan". He said the participation of both Afghan leaders and the Taliban was an "important contribution" aimed at creating "favourable conditions for the start of direct talks". "I am counting on you holding a serious and constructive conversation that will justify the hopes of the Afghan people," he said before the rest of the meeting was held behind closed doors at a Moscow hotel. 'Greater' chance for peace NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg had said Tuesday that Afghanistan's chances for peace were "greater now" than in many years, even as the Taliban step up attacks on Afghan forces, which are suffering record high casualties. The Taliban sent five representatives to Moscow but insisted they would not hold any negotiations with the delegation from Kabul. The Afghan delegation was made up of four representatives of the High Peace Council, a government body responsible for reconciliation efforts with the militants, spokesman Sayed Ihsan Taheri said. The Afghan foreign ministry emphasised that the council did not represent the Afghan government at the meeting, however, but was acting as a "national" non-government institution. Pakistan, which has long been accused of providing support to the Afghan Taliban, hailed their presence at the talks. The US embassy in Moscow sent a representative to observe the discussions. US President Donald Trump launched a revised Afghan plan more than a year ago that saw the US scrap any timetables for a US pullout and re-commit thousands more troops to Afghanistan, most of them dedicated to training and advising local forces. The Moscow meeting was initially scheduled for September but was postponed after Kabul insisted the process should be Afghan-led. The meeting came at a sensitive time. Newly appointed US peace envoy Khalilzad has been trying to convince the Taliban to agree to negotiate an end to the war and there are fears the Russian meeting could derail those efforts. A US government watchdog last week said Kabul's control of Afghanistan had slipped in recent months as local security forces suffered heavy casualties while making minimal or no progress against the Taliban.

Afghan rivals say no closer to direct talks after Moscow meeting

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Russia calls for 'Moscow Format' meeting on Afghanistan

Russia invites Taliban and Afghan politicians to Moscow meeting

Afghan rivals say no closer to direct talks after Moscow meeting