Afghanistan Reconciliation Unlikely at Moment - Russian Foreign Ministry

Afghanistan settlement is not likely at the moment as Taliban is gaining ground in the country, Russian Foreign Ministry’s director of the Second Asian Department said Wednesday following a 6+1 Group meeting in New York.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — He stressed that the meeting participants' agreed that the situation in Afghanistan was worsening, despite Taliban failing to reach their spring goals, especially in a number of regions, including Helmand, Urozgan, Kunduz provinces, where the government forces are involved in heavy fighting against Taliban.

"Everyone realized that there are no serious grounds for an Afghanistan peace agreement at the moment. Taliban is strengthening its positions and, apparently, there will not be any substantial talks in the near future," Zamir Kabulov told RIA Novosti.

The New York meeting of the 6+1 Group on Afghanistan included Russia, Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and the United States.