The seventh meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan was held today (Tuesday) in the Russian capital, Moscow, bringing together representatives from regional powers to discuss the Afghan peace process and regional cooperation, TASS News Agency reported.
According to officials, the participants focused on exploring ways to facilitate Afghanistan’s national reconciliation and expand interaction between Kabul and neighboring countries in political, economic, and security spheres.
The Moscow Format includes Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
In his opening remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urged Western countries to abandon confrontational policies toward Afghanistan and take responsibility for rebuilding the war-torn country.
“Once again, we call on [the West] to get off the confrontation course, return what was seized, assume responsibility for the post-conflict restoration of Afghanistan, and pay for decades of damage to the Afghan economy and infrastructure,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov also criticized Western nations for continuing to hold Afghanistan’s sovereign financial assets and maintaining sanctions that hinder the country’s banking sector, calling such policies “hostile” and “harmful” to Afghanistan’s recovery.
It is worth noting that Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, traveled to Moscow on Monday at Russia’s official invitation to attend the meeting — marking the first time he has participated in the Moscow Format as an official member.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that a delegation from Belarus had also been invited, while the main participants were represented by special presidential envoys and senior officials from the member states.
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