What did the Foreign Minister discuss with the Taliban representative?

For the first time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, held a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban government, Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The conversation between the ministers took place against the backdrop of recent attacks from the territory of Afghanistan on Tajikistan, which resulted in casualties and injuries among Chinese citizens.

According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published on December 2 of this year, Muttaqi condemned the killing of Chinese citizens during the conversation and informed Muhriddin of the Taliban’s readiness to conduct a joint investigation into the attacks carried out from the territory of Afghanistan on Tajikistan, to strengthen border security, and to develop joint cooperation for stability in the region.

Muttaqi reportedly stated that a climate of trust has recently developed between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, but “some forces are trying to undermine this positive process.” However, he did not specify which forces he was referring to.

The Taliban’s statement noted that the head of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Tajikistan advocates for positive interaction with the Afghan authorities, rejecting “destructive forces” that seek to worsen relations.

The ministers also agreed to continue regular contacts between the border services of the two countries, joint security committees, and to conduct technical consultations to foster greater mutual trust and stability in the region.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan has not yet commented on the telephone conversation between the ministers.

In the past week, two incidents were recorded in which armed attacks occurred from the territory of Afghanistan against Chinese citizens in Tajikistan.

The Tajik side stated that the armed attack was carried out by “members of an armed terrorist group,” but did not specify who exactly.

The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, also sharply condemned the “illegal and provocative actions of Afghan citizens.”

Following these attacks, the Chinese ambassador to Tajikistan, Guo Zhijun, met with Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin and the First Deputy Head of the State National Security Committee, Farhod Kamolzoda, urging Tajik authorities to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the safety of Chinese companies and citizens.