Russia urges Kabul, Taliban to start talks on transition government - RIA

Russia has urged Afghanistan and the Taliban to start meaningful negotiations on forming a transitional coalition government before it is too late, the RIA news agency cited Russia's foreign ministry as saying on Wednesday.

A Taliban delegation in Moscow last week said that the group controlled more than 85% of territory in Afghanistan - an assertion dismissed by the government - and told Russia it would not let the country be used as a platform to attack others.