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Russia expects to ease Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions at Moscow Format meeting
Kabulov added that Russia is ready to mediate between Kabul and Islamabad if both sides request its assistance, noting that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has previously expressed Moscow’s readiness to help resolve the dispute.
The latest escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan will be urgently discussed at the upcoming meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, scheduled for October 5, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special presidential representative for Afghanistan, told Izvestia.
Kabulov said Russia is prepared to use the Moscow Format as a platform to help the two sides reach a compromise.
“Of course, this issue will certainly be raised, and we will be happy to use the Moscow platform to bring both conflicting parties to some reasonable compromises,” he said.
He added that Russia is ready to mediate between Kabul and Islamabad if both sides request its assistance, noting that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has previously expressed Moscow’s readiness to help resolve the dispute.
High-ranking officials from both countries are expected to attend the October 5 meeting. Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will participate, while Pakistan will send its special representative for Afghanistan, along with its ambassador to Kabul and other senior foreign-policy officials, Kabulov said.
The Moscow Format, established in 2016, brings together regional countries to discuss Afghanistan’s security and political situation. Its participating countries include Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Belarus and Egypt have also been invited as guests to the upcoming meeting.
The latest tensions come amid continued disagreements between Kabul and Islamabad over security and cross-Durand Line militancy. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan authorities of allowing Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad blames for attacks inside Pakistan, to operate from Afghan territory.
The Afghan authorities have denied supporting the TTP and have maintained that Pakistan’s internal security problems should not be blamed on Afghanistan.
Kabulov said the dispute remains difficult to resolve because both sides continue to maintain their positions.
The Moscow Format meeting comes after Pakistan carried out fresh airstrikes in Afghanistan on October 1. Afghan authorities said the strikes in Kunar and Helmand provinces killed nine civilians, including women and children, and wounded 11 others.
Afghanistan condemned the strikes as an act of aggression.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Tuesday with Qatar’s ambassador to Kabul, Mirdif Al-Qashouti, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and expanding Afghanistan’s engagement with the international community.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the meeting focused on Qatar’s efforts to facilitate the Islamic Emirate’s engagement with the international community.
Muttaqi welcomed the growing engagement between Afghanistan and the international community and praised Qatar’s role in supporting these efforts.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s ambassador reaffirmed Doha’s commitment to continuing its efforts and described the progress made so far as encouraging.
Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, met on Tuesday with officials of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines to discuss expanding economic relations, joint investment, and strengthening cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors.
During the meeting, Khan Mohammad Khan, deputy for industry at the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines, highlighted the existing opportunities in Afghanistan’s industrial and mining sectors and called on Iranian investors to make practical investments in these areas.
He said that with suitable opportunities available for industrial growth and the processing of raw minerals in Afghanistan, greater prospects exist for economic cooperation and joint investment with regional countries, particularly Iran.
Meanwhile, Bikdeli said that Iranian investors are showing growing interest in operating in various economic and production sectors in Afghanistan. He also emphasized Iran’s willingness to expand economic relations and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
At the end of the meeting, he invited officials of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines to participate in a mining exhibition scheduled to be held in Iran.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture says BBC radio broadcasts across the country have been suspended due to what it described as “repeated violations.”
Safiullah Raed, head of media monitoring at the ministry, confirmed the suspension, without providing further details.
The BBC has also confirmed that its radio broadcasts have been suspended across Afghanistan. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said it was in contact with officials of the Islamic Emirate to resolve the issue.
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