China's Xi Jinping & Pakistan PM Imran each dial Russia's Putin to discuss Afghanistan

In a key development overseas, on August 25, China's president Xi Jinping affirmed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Beijing stood ready to strengthen communication with Moscow and the broader international community on the Afghanistan issue. Booth leaders called for an inclusive government in Kabul which "thoroughly dissociate" itself from all terrorist groups.

China's Xi dials Russia's Putin, discusses Afghanistan & more

China's Xi spoke to Putin over the phone and discussed the situation in Afghanistan post-Taliban takeover, a day after G-7 leaders virtually met to discuss the crisis. The phone call also comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the Afghanistan situation with his Russian counterpart.

Xi told Putin that China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Russia and the broader international community on the Afghan issue, a Chinese state-run news agency reported.

Jinping also called for concerted efforts to encourage all factions in Afghanistan to build an open and inclusive political structure through consultation, implement moderate domestic and foreign policies, thoroughly dissociate from all terrorist groups, and maintain friendly relations with the rest of the world, especially neighbouring countries.

On his part, Putin said that the current changes in the Afghan situation showed that outside forces' forcibly promoting its political models did not work in some countries and will only bring destruction and disaster to these countries.

'Russia and China share similar stances & interests on Afghan issue'

Russia is willing to closely communicate with China and actively participate in a multilateral mechanism on the Afghan issue to promote a peaceful transition, crackdown on terrorism, cut off drug smuggling, prevent the spillover of security risks from Afghanistan, resist interference and destruction from outside forces and safeguard regional stability, Putin said.

Xi's telephonic conversation with Putin came after China held its first dialogue with the Taliban in Kabul wherein Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu held talks with the deputy head of the Taliban's political office Abdul Salam Hanafi.

'International community should respect the will & choice of Afghans'

Speaking via video link at the 11th BRICS Meeting of National Security Advisors on Tuesday held by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, CCP's director of Political Committee Yang Jiechi said the international community should respect the will and choice of the Afghan people and encourage Afghanistan to build a broad and inclusive political structure that suits its national conditions, according to the official media.

Efforts must be made to fight terrorism in all forms, and Afghanistan must never again become a gathering place for terrorist and extremist forces, he noted. To restore peace, stability and order in Afghanistan at an early date, China and Russia can play a big role after the hasty and irresponsible withdrawal of the US, Yang said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here on Wednesday that China and the Afghan Taliban have "smooth and effective communication and consultation."

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war. China had hosted a Taliban delegation headed by the Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar last month. Baradar reportedly assured Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that the Taliban will not permit the East Turkish Islamic Movement from operating from Afghanistan and called for Chinese investments in the war-torn country

Pakistan PM Imran Khan speaks to Putin on Afghanistan

The two Heads of State discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan and urged for coordinated efforts to tackle the situation in the strife-torn country after its capital Kabul fell to the Taliban last week.

Khan received a telephone call from President Putin and the two leaders exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and bilateral relations, according to Foreign Office. Also, he underscored that the international community must stay positively engaged in support of the people of Afghanistan, to help address humanitarian needs and ensure economic sustenance.

Pakistan PM also stressed the importance of “coordinated approaches in addressing the evolving situation and noted that Pakistan attached high importance of the role of the Troika Plus format”. He said that a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan was vitally important for Pakistan and regional stability.

Besides ensuring safety, security and protection of rights of Afghans, an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward, he noted.