Russia, China, Pakistan to Hold Trilateral Talks on Afghanistan

Nov 16, 2016 02:27 AM EST

(Photo : Getty Images) In this handout image supplied by Host Photo Agency/RIA Novosti, A group photograph of the SCO heads of state, the heads of observer states and governments, and international organisation delegation heads. First row, from left: President of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambaev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

The next Russian-Chinese-Pakistani consultations on Afghanistan is scheduled in Moscow next month, with the aim of establishing a wider regional partnership on the issue, Zamir Kabulov, director of the Second Asian Department, announced on Monday.

"We are discussing this with the Chinese, the Iranians, Indians, and Pakistanis. There is work on specifics... For example, we are planning the next Russian-Chinese-Pakistani consultations in December," Kabulov told RIA Novosti as reported by Nation.

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Kabulov said the meeting would "lay the ground" for a regional project concentrated around Afghanistan, The Hindu reported. He noted that it is in the natural interests of stakeholders to protect themselves from terrorism, stressing that containment efforts should be in the form of an "Afgan-regional" project, according to IOL.

However, of note, even though both India and Iran were named regional stakeholders, they were not included in the consultations, The Hindu reported.

On the other hand, the Value Walk noted that the Russian-Chinese-Pakistani superpower triangle will permit them to carry out effective measures to curb terrorism and radicalism. Furthermore, it will also stand up to the United States' increasing influence in the region.

According to SIPRI, Russian, China, and Pakistan have a total of about 7,620 nuclear warheads combined. Given such fact, the nuclear power trio makes an intimidating nuclear force to be reckoned with, the Value Walk noted.

During the BRICS summit last month, Pakistan received support from Russia and China against India-sponsored resolution to declare Islamabad a "terrorist state." Both countries reportedly stepped up their diplomatic efforts to prevent India from turning Pakistan into a pariah state.

Meanwhile, the initiative comes amid a number of massive assaults in Afghanistan by the militant group Taliban who refused to surrender to the government. The group's latest Thursday attack was on the German consulate in Mazar-eSharif, which the Taliban group said is a "revenge attack" for the US air strikes this month in the province of Kunduz that killed at least 32 civilians.

TagsRussia, china, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russian-Chinese-Pakistani consultations, "Afgan-regional" project, regional stakeholders, BRICS summit