On Wednesday in Moscow, Russia hosted a meeting on the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan in what is popularly referred to as the Moscow Format. It saw the participation of representatives of the Taliban and delegations from ten neighbouring countries, including China and India. Interestingly, the United States, which is a key player in the Afghan conflict, did not participate in the meeting.
While opening the meet, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov underscored the importance of “forming an inclusive government” in Afghanistan that reflects the interests of the country’s ethnic and political minorities. He said that this would be the first step towards securing peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Lavrov warned against the use of Afghan soil for orchestrating terror activities, saying, “Numerous terrorist groups, notably the Islamic State and al-Qaida are trying to take advantage of the instability in the country mounting bloody attacks … There is a real danger of terrorism and drugs spilling into the neighbouring nations under the guise of migration.”
Lavrov applauded the Taliban’s efforts in working towards political stability in the country by ensuring the safe operation of established state structures. He said, “We are satisfied with the level of practical interaction with Afghan authorities, which allows to effectively ensure the security of Russian citizens in Afghanistan.” Nevertheless, he highlighted the importance of respecting human rights and freedoms and adopting balanced social policies. Concluding his address, he assured that Russia would dispatch humanitarian aid to Afghanistan soon.
The Moscow Format is a result of Moscow’s years-long efforts to establish contacts within the militant group. In fact, Russia is one of the few countries that continues to house a diplomatic mission in Afghanistan even after the Taliban’s violent takeover. That being said, although Russia continues to deepen its engagement with the Taliban, it has designated the group as a terror organisation since 2003. In fact, any Russian citizen found making contact with such groups faces criminal charges, drawing criticism of the government for being hypocritical. However, Russian authorities have reiterated that engagement with the Taliban on the government level is critical to bringing an end to the conflict in the war-torn country. Nevertheless, last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country was in no rush to formally recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government.
Meanwhile, the Indian delegation met with the Taliban’s representatives on the sidelines of the meeting. This was the second such interaction between Indian officials and the militant group, with the first taking place in Doha over a month ago. India is reluctant to offer recognition to the Taliban government but is reportedly likely to support Russia’s proposal in the United Nations to provide the war-torn country with aid.
The Indian delegation was led by JP Singh, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs. According to the Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Indian side expressed its readiness to dispatch humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. He said that the two sides also agreed on the need to further their diplomatic and economic relations. Mujahid added that the Indian delegation acknowledged the need to “take into account the new reality” in Afghanistan as the Taliban takes control.
While there was no major breakthrough in Wednesday’s discussions, the representatives of the countries are likely to continue to push the Taliban to form an inclusive government, respect and upload human rights and freedoms, and bring an end to violence against women and minorities.