'Afghanistan is now stable; poses no threat to any country': Taliban at Moscow Format meet

On Wednesday, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban's interim government, claimed that Afghanistan is now stable and that no country will have any threat from the war-ravaged country. The Taliban will make all-out efforts in ensuring that there is no threat, he said while speaking at the Moscow Format Dialogue as reported by TOLO News. He called on the international community to recognise the Taliban's interim administration, emphasising that isolating Afghanistan benefits no one.

Hanafi also urged the United States to release Afghanistan's financial assets, stressing that coercion had failed to produce results.
The Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan is being attended by representatives from 10 countries as well as a high-level Taliban delegation. The Moscow format, based on the six-party framework for consultations between special representatives from Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran, and India, was adopted in 2017. 

During the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that although the interim Taliban government is working to stabilise Afghanistan's political and military situation, stable peace in the war-torn country is still a long way off. He also stated that the key to achieving it is to build a government that is inclusive, according to Russian news agency Tass. The meeting holds much importance for India since it is the first formal communication between New Delhi and the Taliban government since the terror group declared an interim cabinet last month.

US did not attend meeting citing logistical concerns

Notably, this is the second time that Indian officials have met with members of the extremist group since the August 15 seizure. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India's policy toward Afghanistan is determined by its "friendship with the Afghan people," reported ANI. Meanwhile, the United States could not attend the meeting due to logistical concerns. The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated that it is logistically not feasible for the country to participate in the meeting. 

US refuses to release Afghanistan's frozen assets

It should be mentioned here that the US has refused to release Afghanistan's frozen assets, but stated that it is committed to providing humanitarian help to Afghan nationals, and that the Taliban must assist in the distribution process. Wally Adeyemo, the US Deputy Minister of Finance highlighted the importance of maintaining pressure on the Taliban, saying that the Afghan people should not be harmed, reported ANI. The Taliban is struggling to gain recognition from the international community after taking control of Afghanistan and announcing its interim government.

Image: ANI, AP