Unlikely Allies Russia, US Push Afghan Enemies to Accept Interim Government – By Reuters (VOA News) / Mar 17 2021
Russia hosts a key summit on Thursday to try to revive the Afghan peace process, the first in a series of meetings that make unlikely allies of Washington and Moscow as they try to pave the way for an interim government in Kabul and end the bloodshed.
The United States is shifting focus from largely stalled negotiations in Qatar’s capital to meetings among key regional countries aimed at pushing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Taliban insurgents and other Afghan political leaders to form a transitory government as soon as possible.
The Moscow meeting will include U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and representatives from Pakistan and China, according to officials. A team of Afghan political leaders and government representatives and a Taliban delegation will also attend.
Khalilzad has been trying to drum up support for a written proposal that includes an interim government and cease-fire, as U.S. President Joe Biden reviews plans for Afghanistan ahead of a May 1 troop withdrawal deadline agreed to with the Taliban by the Trump administration.
