WASHINTON. Oct 19 (Interfax) - U.S. officials will not be present at a Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan, which is due to be held in the Russian capital on October 20, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing on Monday.
"We will not participate in the Moscow talks" this week, Price said.
The U.S. is "not in a position to take part this week," Price said, adding that "it's just logistically difficult" for Washington to take part this week.
This format of discussions involving Russia, China, the U.S., and Pakistan "has been an effective, a constructive forum", and the U.S. looks forward to engaging in this forum in the future.
As reported, representatives of the U.S., China, Pakistan, Iran, and India have been invited to the meeting in Moscow. A delegation of the Taliban, banned in Russia, led by Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi will also arrive in Moscow on Tuesday to take part in the discussions.
A Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan will take place in the Russian capital on October 20. Russian Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said that a meeting of the Extended Troika on Afghanistan (the U.S., Russia, China, and the Pakistan) will be held the day before the event, on October 19.