The Afghan government plans to release the remaining Taliban prisoners by the end of the month, after which inter-Afghan talks are expected to begin, Zamir Kabulov, Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan and Director of the Second Asia Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told RIA Novosti.
The day before, he held online consultations with his American counterpart Zalmay Khalilzad; acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Hanif Atmar also took part in them.
"We discussed the prospects for the upcoming start of inter-Afghan talks, as we hope. The Afghan government aims to complete the exchange of prisoners by the end of this month, which will remove the obstacle to starting negotiations with the Taliban. We expect this to happen, " Kabulov said.
He added that the Afghan government stated during the consultations that it "attaches great importance to the efforts of the expanded Troika - Russia, the United States, China and Pakistan - in facilitating inter-Afghan negotiations."
"Because these negotiations will have to be accompanied so that they go as smoothly as possible," Kabulov said.
Earlier it was reported that the planned inter-Afghan talks may take place in Doha. However, the date has not yet been determined.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Alexander Shcherbak / TASS