US Intention to Talk to Taliban Yet More Proof of 'Double Standards'

The United States wants the Taliban to be part of the peaceful process in Afghanistan. According to expert Faruq Farda, the US is playing a double game and is not interested in settling the crisis.

"I think one of the things that the [State] Secretary feels very strongly about is trying to develop – get to a place where we can have some sort of a peace process," State Secretary spokesperson Heather Nauert said at a press briefing in late July, commenting on State Secretary Rex Tillerson’s views on how to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan.

"And that means actually sitting down and talking with members of the Taliban and starting to facilitate that kind of dialogue," Nauert added.

According to Kabul-based expert Faruq Farda, the possible talks between the US and the terrorist group are unlikely to be productive.

"After the US invaded Afghanistan, it faced a number of problems and has finally decided to start negotiating with the Taliban. Washington sees such talks as the only way to resolve the crisis. The US was one of the originators of the Taliban. Now the organization is divided into smaller groups, which makes it difficult to control," Farda told Sputnik Afghanistan.

According to the expert, what the US is doing in Afghanistan is a "policy of double standards." While reiterating its commitment to peace, Washington, at the same time, wants to achieve geopolitical ambitions in the region.

"The US wants to turn the Taliban against Russia’s peaceful efforts. Moreover, the US involvement has not resolved a single problem in Afghanistan," Farda said.

Commenting on the current situation in the country, the expert warned there is a risk of a large-scale conflict in the region.

"The reason for the crisis is not the Afghan people. We want peace, but a war is being imposed on us. And this war risks expanding beyond Afghanistan and reaching Russia," Farda said.

He further suggested that Russia could play the leading role in stabilizing the situation and bringing peace to Afghanistan.

"Russia is a global power that has been very influential in the global arena in recent years. Russia is one of the guarantors that maintain the global balance of powers. Russia should play a role in the settlement because the crisis in Afghanistan creates risks for Russia’s security," Farda concluded.

US officials recently accused Russia of supporting the Taliban. Moreover, CNN claimed in July that it had exclusive videos purporting to show that the Taliban had allegedly received weaponry in Afghanistan, which appeared to have been supplied by Russia, however, presented no proof. Earlier, the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, said that there was no evidence that Russia had transferred weapons or money to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Russian Foreign Ministry denied the claims that Russia is allegedly supplying weapons to the Taliban as groundless.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow is only working with the Taliban in order to assist the implementation of a UN Security Council decision requested by the Afghan government that would allow the group to take a role in the political process. Lavrov also called accusations from the US that it is supplying the Taliban with weapons baseless and unprofessional.