Russia to host 'Troika Plus' meet on Afghanistan

Moscow, Dec 31 (IANS) Russia will host a 'Troika Plus' meeting on Afghanistan next month which will see the participation of the US, China and Pakistan, Moscow's Special Representative to Kabul Zamir Kabulov announced.

In November, Islamabad hosted a Troika Plus meeting during which Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that the engagement with the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government in Afghanistan must continue in order to help consolidate peace and stability.

The group had also previously met in Qatar in August to discuss political solutions to the conflict during the IEA's takeover of Afghanistan.

In his announcement on Thursday, Kabulov did not mention if Taliban officials would attend the upcoming meeting.