nCa Report
On 29 September 2023, the 5th meeting of the Moscow format of Consultations on Afghanistan was held in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan (Russian Federation).
The meeting was attended by special representatives on Afghanistan, and senior officials from Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, China, UAE, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China.
The Afghan delegation was represented at the meeting by the Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaki.
The participants of the meeting expressed a common position that the international community, as well as regional and neighboring countries, should continue to provide assistance in the revival of Afghanistan and solving humanitarian issues. They also noted that platforms such as the SCO-Afghanistan contact group and the UN can help to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, one of the highlights of the opinions shared was a call to the Kabul to make efforts to create an inclusive government and to eradicate drug production.
The Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Afghanistan, Director of the second Asia Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Zamir Kabulov, answering journalists’ questions following the consultations, noted that “the new impetus (of the meeting) is that most countries in the region have proved their unified approach and positions.”
“Our Afghan partners who were here in Kazan, they saw that the vast majority of the countries of the region speak with one position and one voice,” he added.
At the same time, as is obvious from Kabulov’s remarks, the meeting was not initially focused on achieving any breakthroughs, but rather on voicing the common position of the format on the Afghan issue.
“We are not engaged in breakthroughs, we are engaged in solving the problem, it requires patience,” Kabulov said.
“We profess a different philosophy of relations, it implies patient clarification, argumentation, and then we rely on the Almighty and on life, which will convince our Afghan partners that they need to improve the system of public administration in the country and think more about their people,” he concluded.
Following the meeting, the Kazan Declaration was approved by all participants except Tajikistan, which expressed objections to a number of points in the declaration.
Tatarstan is active in the Afghanistan direction
Welcoming the participants of the forum, the Rais (President) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov stressed that the growing interest of the socio-political and business circles of Tatarstan in working in the Afghan direction.
“This was obvious during the visit this year of the Afghan delegation headed by Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Nuriddin Azizi to participate in the International Economic Forum “Russia — the Islamic World: KazanForum 2023,” he said.
“The participation of Acting Minister of Higher Education of this country Nida Nadim in the International Forum of Ministers of Education “Shaping the Future” was also evidence of the development of contacts between our republic and Afghanistan. Supporting humanitarian ties is also an integral part of our interaction,” he added.
Minnikhanov also recalled that this year, with the assistance of the Kazan “Charitable Patriotic Fund of Muslims of Russia”, which regularly provides humanitarian assistance to the local population, the grand opening of the business center in Kabul took place.
Russia warns against NATO return to Afghanistan
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed concern about “attempts by non-regional players to become more active in the Afghan direction.”
“A full–fledged unification of the efforts of the countries of the region with the member states of the NATO bloc is possible only if the latter fully recognize all responsibility for the sad results of their 20-year military presence in Afghanistan, which ended in a complete fiasco,” he said.
Lavrov’s statement makes it clear that Moscow considers the return of the US and NATO military infrastructure to the territory of Afghanistan and its neighboring states unacceptable under any pretext.
As a condition for achieving sustainable peace in Afghanistan, Lavrov called for the completion of the reconfiguration of power in the country, ensuring the involvement of political figures from national and confessional minorities in public administration.
He also said that Russia expects Kabul to do everything to step up its counter-terrorism and anti-drug efforts.
China opposes interference in Afghanistan
China’s special representative for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, stated that Afghanistan should pursue an independent domestic policy that corresponds to its national conditions, TASS reports.
“The key to peace, stability, and reconstruction of Afghanistan is constructive international regional labor cooperation without foreign interference in internal affairs,” Yue said. “This is the main thing.”
The Chinese diplomat noted that human rights, in particular women’s rights, as well as the inclusiveness of the government in Afghanistan are being discussed in the international community.
“When we talk about all these problems, the main thing is that nothing should be an excuse for interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign and independent country. The sovereign government, the sovereign state ultimately decides itself what to do with inclusivity and human rights,” Yue stressed.
Yue Xiaoyong also called on Washington and NATO countries to unfreeze Afghanistan’s assets, lift unilateral sanctions and release more resources as soon as possible to meet its urgent needs of the Afghan people.
Afghanistan is willing to present all opportunities for regional ties
Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Mottaki said that Afghanistan has a strong potential for economic cooperation, trade, and investment.
“With security restored in Afghanistan, it is time to implement projects related to economic ties,” Mottaki said. “Focusing on our economy and foreign policy, we are ready to provide all opportunities for regional ties.”
Mottaki added that favorable conditions have been created for the development of trade through the North–South transport corridor, and that Afghanistan is ready to provide everything necessary for the implementation of infrastructure projects in energy, agriculture, and railway communication.
“We confirm our readiness for cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries to prevent the movement of smugglers and other destructive individuals,” Mottaki said. “In countering these threats, we have made efforts and fought to reduce the cultivation and trafficking of drugs to zero.”
Mottaki assured that tourists, diplomats, humanitarian workers, journalists, and researchers from different countries are welcome in Afghanistan and can move freely around the country.
“We reiterate that any country concerned about security threats and drug trafficking emanating from Afghanistan should send a delegation to study everything carefully and understand the truth. In conclusion, we stress that Afghanistan is ready to cooperate with the countries of the region on the basis of common legitimate interests,” he emphasized.
Kazan Declaration of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, Kazan, September 29, 2023
On September 29, 2023, the fifth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan at the level of special representatives and senior officials from China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was held. The meeting was also attended by acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. Representatives of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Türkiye were in attendance as guests of honor.
The parties noted with concern the difficult security situation in Afghanistan due to the intensification of the activities of terrorist groups, primarily ISIS. Appreciated the current Afghan authorities for their serious fight against ISIS and urged them to do the same against all terrorist groups. Called on the current Afghan authorities to take effective measures to dismantle, eliminate and prevent placement of all sorts of terrorist groups based in Afghanistan and to prevent the country from being the terrorism and instability hotspot and spreading to the regional states.
Noted the reports on the reduction in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan caused by successful steps of the current Afghan authorities. Stressed the importance of continuing real and its effective anti-drug policy, including against industrial drug production, which indicate a serious and dangerous increase.
Called on the current Afghan authorities to step up cooperation with the regional countries in the fight against the threats of terrorism and drug-trafficking emanating from the Afghan territory. Most participants stressed their opposition to the support for terrorism in Afghanistan by external forces.
Regretfully stated that there had been no progress in forming a truly inclusive government in Afghanistan, reflecting the interests of all ethno-political groups of the country. Despite the appointment of some individual representatives of various Afghan ethnicities to the Kabul administration, the parties observed no political pluralism in it. Once again urged the current Afghan authorities to establish a practical, outcome-oriented dialogue with the representatives of alternative ethno-political groups with a view to completing the process of peaceful settlement and forging a balanced, more broad-based, inclusive, accountable and responsible government in Afghanistan.
Called upon the current Afghan authorities to provide the necessary conditions to improve the welfare of the Afghan people, prevent their further migration and provide conditions for the return of the refugees.
The participants spoke out for respect of fundamental rights and freedoms in Afghanistan, including equal rights to work, education and justice, without distinction as to gender, ethnicity or religion. Stressed upon their concern about imposed restrictions on women’s employment and girls’ education. Urged the current Afghan authorities to promote the modern education in the schools conforming to international standards.
Most of the participants of the Moscow format noted the UN Secretary General’s efforts to coordinate actions between international and regional partners on the Afghan track during the meeting of Special Representatives in Doha in May 2023 and observed that cooperation with non-regional players is possible if the US-led Western coalition, whose 20-year actions led to the current crisis in Afghanistan, recognizes and shoulders its responsibility for post-conflict reconstruction of the country, and unfreeze the Afghan national assets and lift unilateral sanctions, immediately.
The parties advocated for Afghanistan as an independent, united and peaceful state. They underscored the unacceptability of deployment of military infrastructure facilities of third countries in Afghanistan and its neighboring states under any pretext.
While appreciating the prospects for the development of regional economic projects with participation of Afghanistan, emphasized the need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral economic ties.
The parties reaffirmed the opposition to attempts at politicizing humanitarian assistance and highlighted the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Expressed their interest for expanding engagement with the current Afghan authorities in the areas of culture, sport and education.
The parties noted the proposal of I.R.Iran to strengthen regional cooperation on Afghanistan by establishing a regional contact group to discuss the issues of common interests.///nCa, 29 September 2023 (Photo credit – MFA Russia, MFA Afghanistan, Tatar-Inform)