AT News
KABUL: India is hosting a regional summit on Wednesday with one agenda to discuss the ongoing situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country, chaired by India’s National Security Advisor, and presence of his counterparts from Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkemenistan and Tajikistan.
The summit is being attended by Iran’s secretary of Supreme National Security Council Admiral Ali Shamkhani; Kazakhstan’s Karim Massimov, chairman of national security committee; Marat Mukanovich Imankulov, secretary of the security council of Kyrgyz Republic; Nikolai P Patrushev, secretary of the security of the Russian federation; Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, secretary of security council of Tajikistan; and Charymyrat Kakalyyevvich Amavov, deputy chairman of cabinety of ministers of Turkemenistan. Uzbekistan’s Victor Makhmudov, secretary of the security council is also there.
India had formally invited the NSAs of Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the meeting. However, China and Pakistan had already said that they will not be attending the conference. No delegation from Afghanistan was invited.
This is the first time that all Central Asian countries – and not just Afghanistan’s immediate land neighbours, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – are participating in discussions in this format along with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic, according to people aware of the developments.