Top Pakistani diplomat rules out expansion of QCG

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan has ruled out the expansion of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), which has been working for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Efforts over the past few months for the resumption of the Kabul-Taliban peace parleys by the group, involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States, have failed to bear fruits.

Speaking to joualists late on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry confirmed the visit of Taliban leaders from the Qatar political office to Pakistan’s port city of Karachi.

Although the four-nation group had been unable to arrange direct talks between the Afghan govement and Taliban, it was continued to press on with its efforts, he explained.

Earlier in the day, Russia opaquely evinced its interest in contributing to attempts at bringing peace to the war-to country.

But Interfax news agency quoted Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulovas saying that Moscow was not eager to be part of the four-member group.He said Russia was ready to create a new format for peace talks.

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