Top Afghani diplomat calls for continuing Moscow format meetings on Afghanistan

MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. Kabul wants the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan to continue and develop, Afghani Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said at a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu.

He welcomed the Moscow format as "an important Russian political initiative that has laid the basis for regular political Afghanistan-related consultations between countries of the region."

"It's our position that this process should continue and develop," the top Afghani diplomat said.

The eighth meeting of the Moscow format was held in the Russian capital city on Monday.

The Moscow format was established in 2017 on the basis of six-party consultations between special envoys from Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, and Pakistan to promote the process of national reconciliation in Afghanistan and establishing peace in that country. Its first meeting was held on April 14, 2017 and was attended by deputy ministers and special envoys from 11 countries, including Afghanistan. The format’s eighth meeting was attended by special envoys and senior officials from Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Delegations from Belarus and Egypt took part in the meeting as guests.