Afghanistan, Oct. 7 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the failure of Afghanistan and Pakistan to agree on a joint statement at the eighth Moscow Format consultations as an "unpleasant" but predictable development, as tensions between the two neighbors overshadowed regional talks on Afghanistan.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov said the disagreement should not be treated as a tragedy, arguing that the differences between Kabul and Islamabad had been foreseeable. The dispute prevented participants from adopting a final joint statement after the talks on October 5.
Lavrov attributed the strained relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan in part to the presence and activities of Islamic State and a...