MOSCOW. Oct 20 (Interfax) - Moscow regrets that U.S. representatives are not attending the Moscow-format consultations on Afghanistan and hopes that this is not linked to any fundamental problems, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"We express our regret that our American colleagues are not attending this event. We have taken note of the fact that this is already the second time that the U.S. has refused to take part in an Extended Troika meeting," Lavrov said on Wednesday, opening the Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan.
"I hope that this isn't related to any fundamental problems," he said.