RASC News Agency: The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister has announced that the sixth Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan is set to be convened in October of this year. According to reports, Andrey Rudenko confirmed that the meeting will take place in Moscow, with Russia extending an official invitation to the Taliban to participate. This announcement follows Dmitry Zhirnov, Russia’s Ambassador to Kabul, inviting Taliban representatives to join the upcoming Moscow Format meeting during his meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, in September.
The precise date for the sixth Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan has not yet been announced. The previous session of the Moscow Format was held on September 29, 2023, in the city of Kazan. Some analysts believe that such meetings yield little benefit for Afghanistan, as the Afghanistani people do not recognize the Taliban as their legitimate representatives and maintain deep animosity towards the group. As a result, any conference that includes the Taliban often provokes public dissatisfaction and discontent. On the other hand, several experts argue that the Moscow Format is one of the most vital international forums for addressing Afghanistan’s future. It offers a crucial platform for regional countries to discuss shared challenges regarding Afghanistan and explore collaborative solutions to these issues.
Prior to this, a general session of the United Nations was held, during which the Taliban were notably excluded. Although Taliban officials expressed frustration over their exclusion, the decision was widely welcomed by the Afghanistani public, who took great satisfaction in the Taliban’s absence. The Afghanistani people firmly reject the notion that the Taliban represents their interests in any form.
