United States will not attend a multinational peace conference on Afghanistan in Russia next month. A State Department official said the U.S. was not consulted before receiving the invitation and does not know Russia's objectives for the gathering. <br/><br/>The official was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity. The official said that Washington wants to work with Moscow on regional efforts to end the 16-year war, and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would bring up the matter when he visits Russia in April.<br/><br/>Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, India and several Central Asian nations are among the invitees to the Moscow conference. Afghan and US officials say the Taliban is not invited. The State Department has not publicly announced its position on the planned conference.