MOSCOW. Sept 12 (Interfax) - Russia urges the United States and the Taliban (banned in Russia) to resume a negotiating process as soon as possible, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"We expect that the current pause won't disrupt the parties' longstanding efforts or the significant progress achieved in the course of negotiations on a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan," Zakharova said at a news briefing on Thursday.
Moscow "welcomes the organization's declared willingness to continue dialogue with the U.S.," she said.
"We urge the parties to resume negotiations as soon as possible to coordinate and sign a peace agreement," Zakharova said.
"At the same time, we are convinced that the complete phase-out of foreign military presence is an integral precondition of durable peace in Afghanistan," she said.