We would like to say the following regarding Russia’s decision not to attend the December 13 meeting of the International Contact Group (ICG) on Afghanistan in Oslo, Norway, which was attended by experts from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and the United States.
We reaffirm our support for international efforts to launch peace talks between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the leadership of the Taliban movement and to attain national accord in a process led by the Afghans themselves.
At the same time, we believe that in light of the growing terrorist and extremist threat coming from Afghanistan to its neighbours, primarily the Central Asian states, these states should be involved in the work of reconciliation mechanisms on Afghanistan.
This approach has been applied within the framework of the so-called Moscow Format, which was launched following regional consultations in Moscow in April of this year, as well as within the revamped SCO-Afghanistan contact group, which resumed its activities in October of this year.