KABUL (TCA) — During talks in Moscow on February 7, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Salahuddin Rabbani discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and prospects for promoting the national reconciliation process in the country, including the formation of a new regional format of consultations on Afghanistan issues. They noted the feasibility of expanding the membership of the trilateral Russia-China-Pakistan consultations to include the countries of the region, first of all, Afghanistan itself, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“We discussed in detail the promotion of the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with Rabbani. “We confirmed our invitation to our Afghan colleagues to participate in the next meeting on the Afghan settlement, which is scheduled to be held in Moscow in mid-February with the participation of Russia, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, and India.”
“We reaffirmed our mutual position that the Taliban movement should engage in constructive dialogue based on the criteria laid down in the UN Security Council resolutions and supported by the government of Afghanistan,” the Russian foreign minister said.
Lavrov also said that Russia will continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan in terms of military equipment supplies and maintenance. “We will assist in training Afghanistan’s specialists in military and civilian trades. We agreed to look for additional opportunities to expand the participation of Russian companies in projects focusing on restoring and expanding Afghan infrastructure,” he said.
Rabbani’s trip to Moscow takes place at a time when Russian officials have confirmed Moscow’s contacts with the Afghan Taliban who are fighting the Afghan government, Afghanistan’s TOLOnews agency reported.
Following reports in the media about a Taliban-Russia thaw, the Afghan government raised concerns over such moves with the Taliban group.
Russia, which claims to be concerned about the expansion of Daesh operatives in Afghanistan, has argued that contacts with the Taliban aimed at combating Daesh in Afghanistan.
In December, a trilateral meeting between representatives of Russia, China and Pakistan was held in Moscow where they discussed the ongoing Afghan conflict. However the Afghan government was upset for not being invited to the meeting.
