India to host regional security meeting on Afghanistan

New Delhi, Nov 5 (EFE).- India will host next week the 3rd Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, involving national security advisers from Russia and Iran, among other countries.

“India will be hosting the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. The meeting will be at the NSA (National Security Advisor) level,” a government official, who asked not to be named, told EFE.

The meeting will be hosted by the Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The earlier two meetings in this format were held in Iran in 2018 and 2019. Last year’s meeting, which was due to be held in India, was canceled due to the pandemic.

The forthcoming Regional Security Dialogue in New Delhi “the widespread and growing concern of regional countries about the situation in Afghanistan and their desire to consult and coordinate with each other.”

“There has been an overwhelming response to India’s invitation. Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed participation,” he said, stressing that it would be the first time that all Central Asian countries would be participating and not just those bordering Afghanistan.

He added that although invitations have also been extended to Pakistan and China – two countries that have several border conflicts with India – “formal responses are awaited. However, Pakistan has indicated through the media that it will not attend.”

“Pakistan’s decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate. Pakistan has not attended the previous meetings of this format,” the official said.

Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf said in an interaction with reporters earlier this week that he would not participate in the meeting in New Delhi.

“I will not go, a spoiler can’t be a peacemaker,” he said, referring to India.

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has worsened significantly since the Taliban’s takeover of the country in mid-August, due to a widespread cut in international aid flows, aggravated by natural disasters and years of conflict. EFE

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