Russia confirmed to establish relations with Taliban regime in Afghanistan

As the world watches in horror the rise to power of the Taliban and the desperation of thousands of Afghans trying to flee their brutal regime, Kremlin Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has confirmed that Moscow will establish relations with the Taliban and that in fact, has been in contact with them for eight years, that is why his victory, he said, “was greeted with tranquility” by Russia.

“The coming to power of the movement is already a reality and we will have to establish relations with the new Afghan authorities,” Kabulov told Soloviov Live. “We have been dealing with it for eight years, which is why we have calmly welcomed the changes in Afghanistan,” said the Russian diplomat.

The Russian envoy warned that Moscow was wary of Taliban promises on a so-called “inclusive government”. “They will even create an appearance of it,” said the Kremlin’s special envoy, who urged caution in the face of the arrival of refugees to foreign countries.

“We will have to be vigilant because terrorists and radicals may be hiding among the refugees, but for the most part the refugees are peaceful citizens, who do not trust the Taliban,” he said.

Likewise, the Kremlin’s special envoy anticipates a contained regime, which will not be extended to other countries. “They don’t want to pose a threat to their neighbors,” said Kabulov, who anyway He called on the international community not to try to isolate the Taliban, as this path will only radicalize them. “If the West decides to isolate the Taliban and put pressure on them, they will end up radicalizing the movement itself because right now they have to solve the economic and social problems of a people in need,” he explained.

He also warned that any attempt by the West to invade Afghanistan again will be costly, given past experience. “The withdrawal (from Afghanistan) is bitter and sad, but any attempt at a new invasion will cost them much more,” he told the program in statements collected by the official Russian news agency Sputnik.

INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE

Russia wants Pakistan, Iran and other neighboring countries to be an integral part of an international negotiation within the framework of the extraordinary meeting of the G20 that the Italian presidency is trying to organize next month in Rome.

“The most important thing for us now is the security of our borders and the organization of security,” Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said in the Italian capital, where he showed Moscow’s will. to participate in this G20 on the Afghan crisis. if it extends to neighboring countries, after meeting the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi di Maio.

In a joint press conference with Di Maio, Lavrov felt that the G20 was a more appropriate forum than the G7 because “Better reflect our multipolar world”, but he specified that Russia wants “to better understand what role” its Western partners give it in this meeting, because in the past it has been shown that in Afghanistan “common solutions are never easy”.

“We have been in contact with all parties over the years, including the Taliban. However, when results are not achieved at the negotiating table, conflicts resume, and this is what happened in Afghanistan, ”he said, lamenting the“ failure ”of the Doha agreements negotiated between then-US President Donald Trump and the Afghan jihadists, who they said were not“ the alone “to blame.

Regarding the G20, he insisted that it is vital for Russia to extend it to neighboring countries, which are the ones who suffer the most and are not included in this format.

“We were promised that (Russian priorities) will be included in the five principles of the program, but the fight against terrorism is the fifth point and our priority is the security of the states of southern Russia and of neighboring countries,” reckons given the threat that the Afghan crisis represents “for them too”.

The protection of civilians, the defense of human rights, humanitarian aid, migratory flows and the fight against terrorism are the five points on which the extraordinary G20 will focus if it finally becomes a reality.

“This format must be inclusive and integrate Pakistan, Iran and others who are not part of the G20,” he insisted.

Di Maio, assured that “there are no easy answers” to the Afghan crisis and that Italy, when it holds the presidency of the G20, has “the responsibility to promote an international consensus and to define a common approach ”which includes the states which“ suffer from the crisis, the neighboring countries ”, for which“ security is a priority ”, as Russia assures us.

“The images of the Afghan-Pakistani border are cause for great concern. This is why we are in contact with neighboring countries to help them manage migratory flows through international projects, but also to work at European level to manage humanitarian corridor projects ”, he revealed.

And on Russian security concerns, Di Maio agreed on the need to “work with all parties, including key regional players and actors,” given “the risk that the latest events in Afghanistan will spread terrorism to others. zones, from Iraq to the Sahel ”.

(with information from EP and EFE)

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