ISLAMABAD, November 2. /TASS/. Russia can play a useful role in reducing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Muhammad Taimur Fahad Khan, senior research associate at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, told TASS.
According to him, Moscow maintains working contacts with both Islamabad and Kabul, and such platforms as the Moscow format, Troika and Troika plus represent a "stable basis for regional dialogue." Besides, the recognition of the Taliban as the official Afghan authorities provides Russia with a "special channel of communication" with the Islamic emirate, Khan said.
The analyst also pointed out Russia’s objective interest in resolving the Pakistani-Afghan conflict.
"Instability in Afghanistan poses risks for Central Asia and complicates trade and transport routes connecting South Asia with the Eurasian region as a whole," he said.
According to the expert, Pakistan's chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) opens up additional opportunities for coordinating the efforts of Moscow and Islamabad in the field of regional security.
According to Khan, success of any mediation will be determined by whether it helps to solve Islamabad's main problem - to get concrete and verifiable actions from Kabul that prevent the Taliban Movement of Pakistan and other terrorist groups from using Afghan territory to attack Pakistan.
Earlier, Russian president’s special envoy Zamir Kabulov said that Russia is ready for any assistance to end the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan if both sides require it.