New US special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, during a telephone conversation with the special representative of the Russian president for Afghanistan and director of the Second Asia department of the Russian foreign ministry, Zamir Kabulov, expressed a desire to get in touch with the Russian side and come to Russia, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday following a meeting with participants of the 18th annual meeting of the Valdai international discussion club.
"The new United States representative for Afghanistan, Mr. West, called our representative, Mr. Kabulov, yesterday. He said he regretted that things had happened this way; he was literally appointed on the eve of the Moscow format and said that he definitely wants to make contact and come to the Russian Federation. We will be happy to see him," he said.
On October 20, the third meeting of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan will be held in Moscow. Representatives from 10 countries in the region, as well as a high-ranking Taliban (banned in Russia) delegation representing Afghanistan, are scheduled to attend the event.
West succeeded Zalmay Khalilzad as US special representative for Afghanistan. West served on the White House National security council under the Barack Obama administration from 2012 to 2015, working on Afghanistan and Pakistan. The vice president of the United States at the time was Joe Biden, the current head of the US administration. During the same period, West served as special advisor to the vice president of the United States on South Asia.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS