Afghanistan hopes Russia to elevate bilateral diplomatic ties

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday applauded Moscow for its engagement with Kabul at various levels, including expanding trade, and said Afghanistan now hopes Russia will elevate the two countries' diplomatic relations.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Muttaqi highlighted the growing intensity of relations between the two nations, noting that recent years have seen increased participation of Afghan delegations in various activities in Russia.

Earlier, a Taliban delegation led by Muttaqi arrived in Moscow for the sixth round of "Moscow format" consultations on Afghan issues, during which participants discussed promoting the process of expanding regional states' interaction with Kabul in political, economic, counter-terrorism, and anti-drug areas.

"Delegation exchanges between Afghanistan and Russia are intensifying, with several high-level delegations attending events in Russia. We are witnessing an increase in trade turnover and hope to see a rise in the level of diplomatic relations," Muttaqi said in an optimistic tone.

Muttaqi, invited as a "guest of honor" to the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan, praised the platform as "extremely important and effective," emphasizing its importance for the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”

According to the top Afghan diplomat, representatives from the countries represented at the meeting "spoke from a positive point of view" about their interactions with Afghanistan.

"We attach great importance to establishing and expanding cooperation in various sectors, including political, economic, and transport. We see great potential in strengthening relations at the regional level," he said.

The Taliban official portrayed Afghanistan as a "safe country" with numerous investment opportunities in the economic, energy, and transportation sectors, highlighting the country's potential for transport corridors such as the North-South route.

Muttaqi also expressed satisfaction with the high level of diplomatic relations Afghanistan enjoys with regional states, referring to the Moscow format as "evidence of the strong relations maintained."

Afghanistan, he said, remains committed to fostering positive relations with its neighbors, while adhering to this policy, it hopes to continue and actively collaborate within the Moscow format.

The acting Taliban minister assured improved security in Afghanistan and invited those interested to visit the country to witness firsthand that even the most remote areas are conflict-free, urging people not to be swayed by "propaganda."

"Three years ago, it became clear that in our country, people of all ethnic backgrounds can lead peaceful lives and feel secure," he remarked.

Muttaqi also addressed the issue of terrorism, asserting that there are no terrorist bases in Afghanistan. However, he acknowledged that destructive elements are infiltrating the country from outside and urged international partners to work together to combat these threats.

He reiterated the Taliban's demand for the return of Afghan funds frozen by the US and highlighted Kabul’s efforts to combat drug production, claiming that narcotic crops have been eradicated and narcotics production is completely banned.

He also discussed the Afghan economy, noting that the national currency, the Afghani, is strengthening, allowing Afghanistan to engage in more robust trade and export-import activity.

The Moscow format was established in 2017 to address the situation in Afghanistan, and it includes China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Afghanistan, and other regional countries.