Kabul (Kubha News)— In a move signaling Moscow’s approach to engage with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan, has invited the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to visit Moscow.
Kabulov, in a meeting held in Kabul with Muttaqi, urged for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets, arguing that the current sanctions on Afghanistan’s banking system are unilateral and illegal, and called for their immediate lifting.
Zia Ahmad, Deputy Spokesperson of the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed Kabulov’s invitation to Muttaqi to visit Moscow later this year.
Kabulov stressed the importance of the Taliban government’s agreement with the upcoming Doha meeting.
“Any meeting about Afghanistan must be held with the agreement of the Afghan government. It is also important that the United Nations agrees with the Afghan government in the upcoming Doha meeting,” Kabulov stated, as quoted by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, Kabulov advocated for maintaining relations with the Taliban government through bilateral mechanisms rather than relying on multilateral contacts.
According to Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesperson of the Taliban foreign ministry, the discussions between Kabulov and Muttaqi covered various bilateral political and economic issues concerning Afghanistan and Russia, as well as the upcoming UN conference of special representatives scheduled in Doha.
While hosting Zamir Kabulov, the special representative of the Russian President to Afghanistan, Muttaqi expressed that it is unnecessary to appoint a special representative of the United Nations for Afghanistan. He stated that their government is engaged in talks with the United Nations and will clarify its position after receiving sufficient explanation about the agenda and composition of the upcoming conference in Doha.