Russian, Indian foreign ministers discuss Afghanistan in Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Moscow on Thursday, where they discussed Afghanistan and emphasized that the country should be included in regional processes.

The foreign ministers of the two countries made these remarks during a press conference in Moscow.

“Today, we reached a common position here—namely, adopting a pragmatic approach to include Afghanistan in regional processes. We also discussed the situation in the Middle East, particularly the humanitarian crisis taking place in the Palestinian territories,” said Lavrov.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that China supports the Islamic Emirate in various areas, particularly in the fight against terrorism.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the ministry, said that Afghanistan—like all countries—has the right to progress and live in peace.

“We respect the choice of the Afghan people and support the country’s government, which is operating with cautious governance, focusing on development, combating terrorism, and strengthening friendly relations with neighboring countries,” Ning said.

When asked whether Russia’s recognition of the Islamic Emirate would prompt Beijing to take similar action, Ning said that China would continue its friendship with Afghanistan.

“China is committed to a foreign policy based on friendship with all the people of Afghanistan and is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan to advance China-Afghanistan relations,” he stressed.

This comes as the sixth meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan was held in Kabul, a meeting that emphasized expanding cooperation in various sectors.