Kabul to attend conference on Afghanistan in Moscow

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Kabul confirmed on Sunday its participation in the upcoming international conference on Afghanistan in Moscow later this month.

Russia is poised to host Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan, Iran and a number of Central Asian states for its third round of talks to explore prospects for peace in the country in mid-April.

The U.S. has declined to attend the conference, saying it was not consulted in advance.

Shah Hussain Murtazwi, presidential spokesman, told the media in Kabul Sunday the Afghan government would attend it.

Murtazwi indicated the deputy foreign minister or one of the directors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would fly to Moscow to join representatives of other participating countries.

“Afghanistan does not want to be turned into a battlefield for the interests of other countries. Our effort is to converge interests, the fight against terrorism should be a collective struggle.

“The level of destruction Afghanistan is witnessing due to terrorism can also be seen by the U.S. and Russia, as well as the countries of the region,” he said.

Murtazawi said Afghanistan should be part of all conferences that discuss its fate.

In December 2016, Moscow hosted Pakistan and China to discuss the emerging threat of Daesh in Afghanistan. Kabul lamented the exclusion of Afghanistan in this session.

In February, however, Russia hosted officials from Afghanistan as well as Pakistan, China, Iran and India in another round of talks on the war-ravaged country.

The string of such diplomatic endeavors emerge at a time when reports suggest Russian contacts with the Afghan Taliban militant.

Several Afghan officials accuse Iran and Russia of supporting and even equipping the militants who wage war on the U.S.-led foreign troops in an ongoing campaign that entered its 16th year.

On Saturday, a former Taliban commander in northern province of Balk bordering Uzbekistan levelled a similar allegation against Tehran and Moscow.

Khan Mohammad Cherik addressed a public gathering after surrendering along with up to 200 of his fighters to the Afghan government.

“We left the Taliban because Mullah Hebatullah Akhund [Taliban’s current leader] has struck a deal with the Russians that has allowed them [Russians] to support and equip all groups including the Taliban, the Daesh, the Uzbekistanis [Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan IMU] and others to keep fighting against the government of Afghanistan,” Cherik said.