The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan welcomes the final joint statement of extensive “Troika” peace talks in Moscow, calling it a step forward towards serious negotiations to achieve a lasting peace commensurate with the will of the Afghan people.
We welcome the statement’s emphasis on the UN Security Council Resolution 2513 and consider its implementation important for holding the Taliban responsible and accountable for fulfilling their obligations, including ending violence and targeted killings and severing ties with terrorist organizations. As noted by the statement, Afghanistan’s territory must not be used by individuals or terrorist groups to threaten the security of other countries.
The Afghan Government has always emphasized a peaceful settlement that can lead to a just and lasting peace, and on a free, independent, united, peaceful, democratic, and self-sufficient Afghanistan that is at peace with itself and its neighbors. We are delighted that this aspiration of the Afghan Government and people has also been reflected in the Moscow statement.
We also support the statement’s emphasis on a political solution that protects our citizen rights and affirm that the preservation of political, economic, and cultural achievements, including the human rights of citizens and democratic institutions, is the most important prerequisite for achieving a just and lasting peace in the country.
The Afghan Government welcomes the statement’s candidness stating that: “we do not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate …” and stresses upon the principle that the “Islamic Republic” is the only inclusive and acceptable structure for ensuring political participation, pluralism, citizen equality and preserving law and order in a diverse and pluralistic society like Afghanistan.
While supporting the Moscow meeting’s final statement, we reaffirm that the Government of the IRoA is committed to engaging in substantive and serious negotiations on key issues, including establishing a ceasefire and achieving a comprehensive political settlement that ends the war and brings about sustainable peace in the country.
We support and commend the efforts of all countries in the region and the world to ensure peace in Afghanistan and acknowledge the significance of the United Nations role in strengthening the peace process. We also wish to thank Qatar, Russia, and Turkey for hosting the talks.
