The group called the “Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan” met in Tashkent, today, for the fourth time since the US/NATO departure in August 2021. At the third meeting in Tunxi, China, a year ago, Uzbekistan volunteered to host this current gathering, and the agenda at both meetings covered humanitarian aid, economic development, and furthering stability and peace.
The group consists of the six nations bordering Afghanistan—Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan—plus Russia. Afghani representatives were not in attendance, as the neighboring nations have not formally recognized the Taliban government, due to objections to their lack of inclusivity of other constituencies within Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s restrictions on women. However, all these nations are actively providing humanitarian aid and are involved in trade and key projects, from energy to furthering the Trans-Afghan Railway (to go from Uzbekistan, across Afghanistan to Pakistan).
In opposition to this approach, the Western coagulation called the “Special Envoys and Representatives for Afghanistan” met in Paris, February 20, and their Joint Statement was sent out today by the US State Department. The Paris confab included nine national members (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and the U.S.) plus the EU and included UN agencies. This is the group approving the U.S. having seized $10 billion of Afghanistan’s national assets from its central bank in Fall, 2021. The 10 points of their Joint Statement righteously condemn the Taliban for its “responsibility for the deterioration of the economic and humanitarian situation,” and otherwise harp on women’s rights. It called on the Taliban to uphold its “obligation” to deal with terrorism.
US Secretary of State Blinken showed up in Tashkent March 2, after being in Kazakhstan for a meeting of the C5+1 (Central Asia nations plus the U.S.), and warned Uzbekistan and neighbors to cut their dealings with Russia and China.
