Taliban Joins Moscow Format Talks on Afghanistan for First Time

DID Press: The seventh session of “Moscow Consultative Format on Afghanistan” opened Tuesday in Russia’s capital with senior representatives from 10 regional countries and a delegation from Belarus in attendance while Taliban, for the first time, joined the session.  Analysts say the meeting signal a new phase in regional diplomatic engagement with Kabul.

According to TASS, Moscow Format meeting aims to explore ways to strengthen political stability, national security, and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

Senior officials and presidential representatives from Russia, Iran, China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan attended the talks. A Belarusian delegation participated as a special guest.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the discussions will focus on boosting regional cooperation, facilitating the national reconciliation process, and addressing Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation.

Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in Moscow on Monday to attend as the group’s first official representative in the Moscow Format talks. Observers view the development as a sign of growing willingness among some regional powers to engage directly with Afghanistan’s current administration.

A day before the meeting, representatives from Iran, Russia, China, and Pakistan also held a quadrilateral meeting in Moscow to discuss Afghanistan’s political and security future.