Moscow Format Contact Group on Afghanistan has been convened for this week where discussions will take place on issues relating to the country, Russia’s special presidential representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov confirmed Tuesday.

Kabulov said this meeting will take place on Saturday, in Tehran, ahead of the planned Doha meeting later this month.

“We have discussed with representatives of the Afghan leadership the preparations for the next, third meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan and the UN Secretary-General in Doha.

“This meeting will be held on June 30 – July 1 in Doha, but prior to that, we will gather in Tehran, literally this Saturday. This is the so-called Moscow format Contact Group,” he was quoted as saying by Russia’s TASS news agency.

He added that apart from Russia, Iran, China and Pakistan make up the group.

Kabulov noted that the consultations will focus on preparations for the Doha meeting.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has welcomed its removal from Kazakhstan’s list of banned organizations and said it is a significant development in its understanding of the IEA.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the move removes obstacles in upgrading bilateral relations.

“Kazakhstan is an important trade and transit partner of Afghanistan in the region and this decision will lead to enhanced bilateral relations and further economic cooperation, which is in the interest of both countries,” the statement said.

The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Monday that his country has removed the IEA from its terrorist list in order to develop economic ties with Afghanistan.

Speaking at a meeting with parliament speakers from countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Tokayev said: “Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban (IEA) from the list of terrorists proceeding from the importance of developing trade and economic cooperation with present-day Afghanistan taking into account that this regime is here to stay.”

The risk of penetration of radical ideology from Afghanistan into the member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is increasing, said Rustam Emomali, chairman of Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament.

Addressing the Council of the Parliament Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Almaty, Emomali said that more than 1,000 religious madrassas have been established in Afghanistan, most of which are located in provinces bordering CSTO countries, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

He claimed that these centers also train suicide bombers.

“The continuation of this situation in Afghanistan could have long-term negative consequences for the CSTO region,” Emomali explained.

He also emphasized that the situation in Afghanistan remains difficult and no real progress has been observed. “Afghanistan has once again become a breeding ground for terrorism,” he said.

According to him, dozens of extremist and terrorist groups are strengthening their positions on the territory of Afghanistan, and the level of cultivation and illegal production of Afghan drugs, including synthetic ones, is growing.

The Islamic Emirate has previously denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and stressed that it does not allow the use of Afghanistan’s soil to be used against the security of any other country.

The Islamic Emirate has also said that it has reduced the cultivation and production of drugs to almost zero.