Pak, Chinese, Russian envoys hold talks with Taliban in Kabul

A team of special envoys from China, Russia and Pakistan held a series of high-level meetings in Kabul over the past 24 hours with the interim Taliban-run Afghan government, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Discussions between the Taliban and the three envoys - from three countries considered to be supporters of the Taliban regime - ranged from the inclusiveness of the interim Afghanistan government, economy, human rights, and Kabul’s ties with neighbouring countries, according to sketchy details shared by the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian.

The three countries had dispatched their special representatives for Afghanistan, China’s Yue Xiaoyong, Russia’s Zamir Kabulov and Pakistan’s Mohammad Sadiq Khan for the meetings - information about which were not shared ahead of the talks - on Tuesday on the invitation of the Taliban, reports Hindustan Times.

The talks were held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It’s the highest-level diplomatic talks that the Taliban have held so far following their rapid takeover of Afghanistan last month, and the formation of the interim government was announced earlier in September.

“The envoys met with the acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan’s interim government, Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, among other officials,” Zhao said at a ministry briefing on Wednesday.

They also met with acting foreign and finance ministers, Amir Khan Muttaqi and Hedayatullah Badri.

Zhao said the officials discussed recent developments in Afghanistan.

“The meeting discussed inclusiveness, human rights, economics, humanism, and Afghanistan’s relations with neighbouring nations,” Zhao was quoted as saying by the official media.

The Taliban leadership agreed on cracking down on terrorism and drug-related crimes, Zhao said.

The trio of foreign envoys also met former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council Abdullah Abdullah, Zhao said, adding that they talked about “promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan”.

Yue reiterated China’s policy of not interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs to the Afghan side.

Afghanistan should reach an open and inclusive political arrangement, implement moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, completely cut ties with various terror organisations, and get along with neighbouring countries, Yue conveyed to the Taliban leadership, Zhao said.

The Taliban leadership emphasised that it attach great importance to the relations between Afghanistan and China, Russia and Pakistan.

The three countries are playing a constructive and responsible role in consolidating peace and stability in Afghanistan, the Taliban said.