A conference of the “extended troika” (Russia, the US, China and Pakistan) on the Afghan settlement was held in Moscow, attended by representatives of the Afghan government, the Taliban (officially banned in Russia) and the legal opposition
EADaily reported that during the talks, official Kabul supported the US-proposed principle of power-sharing in a future coalition government in Afghanistan.
“If power-sharing is the way to go, then fine. But the question of what proportion of the parties will be represented and other things is a matter of negotiation”, – RIA Novosti quoted Abdullah Abdullah, head of the Supreme National Reconciliation Council, as saying, – “There was a power-sharing clause in the US proposal, but it is not some plan that they have proposed and everyone should accept. No, the US has proposed a set of ideas that include power sharing.”
He also made it clear that he was not expecting “breakthroughs” from the Moscow conference because the Taliban “do not agree with all the items” on the agenda. In particular, they did not react in any way to the US proposal for a coalition government.