The Taliban said on Monday they will participate in what they call “intra-Afghan” talks in Moscow, designed to bring together prominent Afghan figures, including former President Hamid Karzai, Opposition figures and tribal elders but no Kabul government officials.
The two-day meeting in the Russian capital, which starts on Tuesday, is seen as another step in a process aimed at resolving Afghanistan’s 17-year war, a process that has accelerated since the appointment in last September of U.S. peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad.
Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, confirmed the insurgents’ participation. A 10-member Taliban delegation would be led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai. The Taliban have refused to talk to Mr. Ghani’s government, which they denounce as a U.S. puppet.
A statement released on Monday by Afghans attending the Moscow meeting described it as “the first step toward intra-Afghan dialogue.”
Along with Mr. Karzai, many of the 38 delegates from Kabul have held prominent government positions. Two presidential hopefuls are among those going to Moscow, including Hanif Atmar, who resigned as Mr. Ghani’s security adviser last August, apparently over differences with the President.
The only woman on the list, lawmaker and activist Fawzia Koofi, has been an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and girls’ education.
