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Moscow format wraps up, participants reaffirm commitment to Afghanistan
Participants of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan said in a statement on Thursday that they all respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and that further practical engagement with Afghanistan was needed.
In a joint statement issued by special representatives from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, they said the sides “reaffirmed their commitment to Afghanistan as a peaceful, indivisible, independent, economically developing State, free of terrorism and drug-related crime and respecting the basic norms in the human rights area.”
This comes after Wednesday’s high-level meeting in Moscow that involved representatives from 10 countries and a high-level delegation from Afghanistan, including Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi.
The United States did not attend the key meeting and cited logistical problems as the reason for their non-attendance.
It was stated that further practical engagement with Afghanistan needed to take into account the new reality, that is the Islamic Emirate coming to power in the country, “irrespective of the official recognition of the new Afghan government by the international community.”
Participating countries also called on the current Afghan leadership to take further steps to improve governance and to form a truly inclusive government that adequately reflects the interests of all major ethno-political forces in the country.
“This will be a fundamental prerequisite for the completion of the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” the statement read.
The participating countries also called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to practice moderate and sound internal and external policies, adopt friendly policies towards neighboring countries, achieve the shared goals of durable peace, security, safety, and long-term prosperity, and respect the rights of ethnic groups, women and children.
“Being concerned about the activities of proscribed terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, the sides reaffirmed their willingness to continue to promote security in Afghanistan to contribute to regional stability.
“The participating countries were pleased to note the reaffirmation by the interim Afghan government of its previous commitments to prevent use of the Afghan territory against its neighbours, other States in the region and the rest of the world,” the statement read.
Expressing deep concern over the deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the sides expressed the need for the international community to mobilize consolidated efforts to provide urgent humanitarian and economic assistance to the Afghan people.
“In this context, the sides have proposed to launch a collective initiative to convene a broad-based international donor conference under the auspices of the United Nations as soon as possible, certainly with the understanding that the core burden of post-conflict economic and financial reconstruction and development of Afghanistan must be shouldered by troop-based actors which were in the country for the past 20 years,” the statement read.
A group of religious scholars from Afghanistan and Pakistan have called on authorities in both countries to extend the pause in hostilities, initially announced for Eid ul-Fitr, until Eid ul-Adha.
The appeal comes after Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Information Minister, announced a temporary ceasefire from March 18–19 midnight until March 23–24 midnight.
In a joint statement signed by 11 Pakistani clerics and as many Afghan clerics, the scholars emphasized that their initiative aims to promote a sustainable and dignified resolution to tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Dawn newspaper reported.
The clerics urged both Pakistani authorities and the Afghan side to extend the ceasefire to allow pilgrims to perform Hajj in a peaceful environment. They added that this “peace movement” goes beyond the ceasefire appeal and includes broader diplomatic and social efforts to resolve longstanding issues between the two countries.
The scholars expressed hope that their efforts would lead to a mutually acceptable solution and help lay the foundation for lasting stability and regional harmony.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
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