 Russia has increased pressure on the Taliban to create an inclusive government representing a broad spectrum of Afghan society as it hosted their new administration at a major conference for the first time since they took power. Pakistan, China, Iran, India and former Soviet Central Asian states joined Taliban officials at the Moscow meeting. The United States stayed away citing technical reasons. Following the meeting, Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister Maulavi Abdul Salam Hanafai told a news conference that it would not let any group undermine the security of Afghans or countries in the region.