Moscow format dialogue on Afghanistan tomorrow, India to participate

Russia will host the third meeting of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan on October 20. India will be represented at joint-secretary level at the meeting.

Listen to Story

Advertisement
Moscow format dialogue on Afghanistan tomorrow, India to participate
Taliban fighters sit on the back of a pickup truck as they stop on a hillside in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday on September 19, 2021. (Photo credit: AP)

Russia will host the third meeting of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan on October 20. India will be represented at joint-secretary level at the meeting.

Russian foreign ministry on Tuesday said: “It is expected that the event will be attended by representatives from 10 countries of the region, as well as a delegation of the Taliban Movement representing Afghanistan.”

advertisement

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will address the participants. An invitation was sent to India to participate in the consultations, which would be attended by Joint Secretary PAI (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division), Mr JP Singh and Joint Secretary Eurasia, Adarsh Swaika. The Taliban government’s deputy prime minister Adbul Salam Hanafi would also be participating.

“We have received an invitation for the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan on October 20. We will be participating in it. We don’t have a final confirmation of who will attend it. Most probably it would be at joint secretary level,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during his weekly briefing last Thursday.

This comes at a time when the new administration in Afghanistan is seeking legitimacy from the international community but countries are yet to recognise the Taliban regime owing to the lack of “inclusivity” in the government.

“During the meeting, it is planned to discuss prospects for development of the military-political situation in Afghanistan and the formation of an inclusive government,” said the statement issued by Russian foreign ministry.

Adding, “Participants will also touch upon the issues of consolidating efforts of the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis in this country.”

A joint statement of the Moscow Format 2021 will be adopted after the conclusion of the meeting.