Russia hosted the fifth Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan in the city of Kazan in Russia.

Special representatives from Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan participated. The representatives of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye also attended the consultations as guests of honour.

The Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said the Taliban failed to take proper actions against the terrorist groups including Daesh in Afghanistan.

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Western countries, which caused irreparable harm to the Afghan people, should bear the primary burden of rebuilding the country. In this regard, Washington’s blocking of Afghan financial assets is counterproductive and only exacerbates the situation, Kabulov added.

Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the interim government of Afghanistan expected regional countries to engage with it instead of giving suggestions for the formation of the government of Afghanistan.

“We call on all countries, particularly the neighbouring countries, to not prescribe governance to us but instead start officially to work in all areas with the Islamic Emirate,” he added.

The Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong said that the US and its allies were the reason which caused destruction in Afghanistan.

The regional and international community should keep on urging the US to live up to its commitments for Afghanistan and live up to its responsibility to Afghanistan, he added.

The US and its allies have cut up aid, frozen Afghanistan’s overseas assets and imposed unilateral sanctions worsening the suffering of Afghan people, Xiaoyong said.

Pakistan and Iran stressed the need for engagement with Afghanistan while calling for an inclusive government in the country.

Hassan Kazimi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, stressed the need to ensure rights to education without gender discrimination, for a legitimate political government in which all ethnic groups of Afghanistan be accepted, and for the guarantee of security of the neighbours.

The envoys of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Turkey were invited to the Moscow Format as observers.