Russia: Lavrov comments on Moscow's position on recognising the Taliban power

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Moscow considers it premature to recognise the Taliban power in Afghanistan, according to Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The militants established full control over the capital and other major cities, and also seized all border crossings on Sunday, August 15.

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SOT, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (Russian): “We have repeatedly said that we are not in a hurry with recognition, just like all other countries. I spoke just yesterday with the foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi – we have the same positions. We see encouraging signals from the Taliban, who declare their desire to have a government with the participation of other political forces, declare their readiness to continue the processes, including those related to education, with education for girls. And in general, with the functioning of the state machine, without closing the way for those officials who worked under the previous government – President Ghani. And also we see positive processes on the streets of Kabul, where the situation is quite calm, where the Taliban as a whole effectively ensure law and order. But it is premature to say that now we will start some political steps unilaterally. We support the beginning of an all-inclusive dialogue with the participation of all political ethno-confessional forces of Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai and High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah have already spoken in favour of such a process. They are in Kabul, they have made such a proposal. And one of the leaders of the north of Afghanistan, Mr Hekmatyar, also joined this call.”

SOT, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (Russian): “Literally these days, as I understand it, these hours, there may even be a conversation with a Taliban representative. I very much hope that it will end with an agreement that the Afghans should continue, rather, form inclusive, as they say, transitional structures, as an important step towards full normalisation of the situation in this long-suffering country.”

SOT, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (Russian): “The process of forming a multipolar world will not be fast, this is probably some small but historical epoch. It passes painfully. The West is hardly abandoning its position as a supreme leader. The idea that NATO should be used in this direction has already come into play. And NATO, which was created as a purely defensive alliance, has already declared as its goal the spread of its influence, including military infrastructure on a global scale. There has already been talk of creating something Indo-Pacific NATO, as they once said about the Middle East NATO. So… It’s not that this is a wounded animal, this is a group of countries that is very difficult, painfully to part with those positions that they used to occupy in the world for many, many decades.”

SOT, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (Russian): ” I hope that the European Commission will accelerate. On our part, the Ministry of Health and the Gamaleya Institute are ready to complete the work in the shortest possible time. And of course it is needed to take in account that when the fundamental decision as such is taken, its realization will depend on the decision of each particular country, because according to the European Union’s rules, it is the national governments make decisions on whether to admit to themselves citizens who are vaccinated with a non-certified vaccine in the European Union. And the agreement on mutual recognition of certificates does not mean that Sputnik [vaccine] or other our vaccines will be certified there. This is only an opportunity to visit each other, but this will already be a huge breakthrough, I think for people who… The obstacles that have arisen now, of course, prevent from making normally their plans.”

#Russia #Lavrov #Afghanistan

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