KABUL (SW) – A sixth round of the Moscow Format talks concerning Afghanistan is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 4. Participants will include Russia, China, Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the discussions will focus on strengthening the process of “national reconciliation” and enhancing relations between countries and the Islamic Emirate.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, traveled to Russia on Wednesday, to participate in the talks.
The Islamic Emirate authorities expressed determination to make optimal use of these discussions, hoping they will contribute to security and economic stability in the region.
Hamdullah Fetrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, stated, “The Islamic Emirate positively utilizes such opportunities, which can facilitate regional connectivity and enhance coordination among countries.”
While the Moscow Format is holding its sixth meeting to assess the situation in Afghanistan, experts caution that due to the political considerations of participating countries, tangible outcomes for changing the situation in Afghanistan are unlikely.
Sayed Akbar Siyal, a political analyst, remarked, “Since the establishment of this format, the Islamic Emirate has been invited to all its meetings; however, there has been no significant outcome regarding issues like recognition, as participating countries have various concerns about Afghanistan.”
Experts believe that meetings like the Moscow Format, although beneficial for Afghanistan, mainly address the concerns of the hosting countries and revolve around international rivalries, particularly the East-West confrontation, without yielding significant benefits for Afghanistan.
Noor al-Rahmani Saqib, an international relations expert, said, “Any talks concerning Afghanistan bring some advantages, especially to the current government in Afghanistan. However, if these meetings are indeed held in a competitive context between East and West, they may exacerbate Afghanistan’s problems, similar to the last 50 years.”
Another international relations expert, Mujadadudin Khurasani, also commented, “I think Russia and China are attempting to ensure that the Islamic Emirate takes regional security seriously, while also cautiously addressing other matters.”
Russia and China, two major global powers, have established good relations with the Islamic Emirate over the past three years and have encouraged other countries to engage with the de-facto government of the Islamic Emirate.
