"We are not going to attend [the Moscow conference]… The peace process should be led by Afghanistan only, only by the Government of the Republic of Afghanistan," Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi told Sputnik on Thursday.
Ahmadi added that it was an independent decision that had nothing to do with Washington.
The spokesman also said that the government already had its own peace council that was working on negotiations with the Taliban.
READ MORE: Moscow Confirms Taliban's Participation in Meeting on Afghanistan
"Of course we will lead the peace process, but by the way, we have very close relations with Russia and Russia is a big country and a powerful country in the region and one of our friends. And we have very good relations with Russia," Ahmadi concluded.
A US Department of State official, commenting on the talks, stated that Washington would not take part in the meeting, doubting that the talks would help to establish peace in Afghanistan.