Moscow disagreement

THE fact that a consensus on how to deal with terrorism originating in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan eludes regional states was made clear at the recently held Moscow Format moot. The event was attended by nearly all of Afghanistan’s neighbours, including Pakistan. However, there was no joint statement issued because, in the words of the Russian envoy for Afghanistan, “our Afghan and Pakistani colleagues didn’t see eye to eye”. The Taliban regime had also sent its representatives. The main sticking point was the Taliban’s objection to including Afghanistan in a “terrorist context”. However, as…