Lavrov: Regional Countries Should Lead Efforts to Address Afghanistan’s Challenges

DID Press: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described the Moscow Format of Consultations as the most important regional platform for building consensus on Afghanistan, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation among neighbouring countries to address the country’s security and political challenges.

Speaking on Tuesday, 12 Aqrab, at the Fourth Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security in Belarus, Lavrov said the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format had been held in Moscow last month, with the participation of a high-level Afghan delegation.

He stressed that regional countries should take the leading role in addressing Afghanistan-related issues, saying regional cooperation and dialogue cannot be replaced by the involvement of external powers.

The Russian foreign minister also called for the establishment of an inclusive security architecture in Eurasia based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and guarantees of security for all countries.