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Parties to Moscow group to discuss terrorism, drug crime in Afghanistan — Russian envoy

"And as far as Afghanistan itself is concerned, the focus will be on the creation of an ethno-politically inclusive government. These things will definitely be discussed in this context," Zamir Kabulov said

MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. The key issues on the agenda of the Moscow group’s meeting in Kazan will be terrorism and drug crime in Afghanistan, as well as the inclusiveness of the Taliban interim government (the Taliban movement is banned in Russia), Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special presidential envoy for Afghanistan and director of the Foreign Ministry's second Asia Department, has told TASS.

"It will surely will," he said when asked whether the Moscow group would discuss the Taliban's non-fulfillment of their obligations.

"But this will not be the only focus. There are several key issues involved in terms of the interests of the region’s countries that make up the Moscow group. They agenda includes, of course, the issue of terrorism and drug crime."

"And as far as Afghanistan itself is concerned, the focus will be on the creation of an ethno-politically inclusive government. These things will definitely be discussed in this context," Kabulov said.

The Moscow group on Afghanistan will meet in Kazan on September 29. Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the meeting would discuss the current situation in Afghanistan, intra-Afghan reconciliation, regional security and post-conflict reconstruction. A joint statement is expected to be adopted.

The Moscow group on Afghanistan includes Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Its previous meeting was in November last year.

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