OMM Redaksiyası
Representatives of regional countries gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan. The main topics were security, economic cooperation and relations between Kabul and neighboring countries.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi took part in the eighth round of Moscow Format consultations, hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Representatives of China, India, Iran, Pakistan and the five Central Asian countries also attended. Belarus and Egypt participated as guests.
Established in 2017, the Moscow Format is a regional consultation platform on Afghanistan. It addresses political and security issues, economic cooperation, and efforts to combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
Muttaqi calls for stronger regional cooperation
Addressing the meeting, Muttaqi said Afghanistan wanted to expand political and economic ties with regional countries while maintaining an independent foreign policy.
“Afghanistan believes that the future of our region should be built on collective security, economic integration and regional connectivity, rather than security competition; on dialogue and understanding, rather than pressure,” Muttaqi said.
Speaking about relations with Pakistan, the minister stressed that disagreements between the neighboring countries should be resolved through diplomacy. He also accused Pakistani military forces of carrying out attacks on Afghan territory.
“Our fundamental belief is that the existing security, political or economic problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan can be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” Muttaqi said.
The Afghan official called on regional countries to increase investment in Afghanistan. He said the TAPI, CASA-1000 and Trans-Afghan Railway projects could more closely connect Afghanistan with regional economies.
“Afghanistan should be a hub for regional cooperation, not an arena for competition in the region,” the minister said.
Lavrov opposes deployment of NATO military infrastructure
Lavrov underscored the importance of security, humanitarian assistance and economic cooperation. He called any return of NATO military infrastructure to Afghanistan or neighboring countries unacceptable.
“I want to emphasize once again that the deployment of NATO military infrastructure on the territory of Afghanistan and neighboring states, under any pretext, is absolutely unacceptable,” Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister urged regional countries to provide greater support for Afghanistan’s efforts to combat terrorism. He said logistical and expert assistance to strengthen Kabul’s counterterrorism capabilities was in the common interest.
Lavrov cited UN figures indicating that more than 17 million people in Afghanistan could face food shortages this winter, while about 22 million may need humanitarian assistance. He added that Russia would continue providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
