'Why leave but stay literally on the borders?' – Shoigu on US withdrawal *PARTNER CONTENT*

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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu commented on the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan during a working visit to Dushanbe, Wednesday.

“Why are you leaving if you keep staying right there behind the fence and, to put it mildly, try to observe what is happening there through a crack in the fence? Why leave but stay literally on the borders? The answer is absolutely obvious, this is an attempt to literally gain a foothold in the Central Asian region. Naturally, having lost everything that could have been lost in Afghanistan,” exclaimed Shoigu.

According to Shoigu, Washington is negotiating intrusively with Afghanistan border states on the creation of certain logistics centres, the creation of bases for equipment withdrawal, and the creation of centers where refugees from Afghanistan, for those people who cooperated with the United States.

“Find me a place, a good place, where the United States came, and where they have stayed for a long time, and where the outcome of their presence was good. The same goes for Syria, the same for Libya. Is there something good there? The unceremonious plundering of the state continues there, in Syria. I repeat once again, oil and other minerals are being exported, completely unceremoniously by one hand, without the knowledge and benefit for the Syrian state,” Shoigu went on to say.

Earlier on July 8 US President Joe Biden confirmed that the ‘military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31st.’ After this, the Taliban seized border crossings with Iran, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan and forced government forces to retreat through the Tajikistan border.

SOUNDBITES:

SOT Ilya Petrenko, RT correspondent (Russian): “You just said that they [the United States], perhaps, their real intentions are not to ensure security in the region. You said that they want to maintain their presence together with the alliance and they are thinking about their infrastructure. Please tell me what exactly do you mean, and how can we call it? Is this truly a substitution of real intentions, or an attempt to leave but to stay there in some tricky way?

SOT, Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defence Minister (Russian): “Well, you know, it is clear to everyone, it was announced widely: ‘We are leaving, this is really so, we are leaving.’ At the same time, negotiations are underway with all the states bordering with Afghanistan on the creation of certain logistics centres, the creation of bases for equipment withdrawal, and, of course, the creation of centres where refugees from Afghanistan, those people with whom the United States has been cooperating for many years, could be accepted. And, it’s not a secret that these negotiations are quite active and quite intrusive. Here I can only say one thing, normal sound logic. Why are you leaving if you keep staying right there behind the fence and, to put it mildly, try to observe what is happening there through a crack in the fence? Why leave but stay literally on the borders? The answer is absolutely obvious, this is an attempt to literally gain a foothold in the Central Asian region. Naturally, having lost everything that could have been lost in Afghanistan.”

SOR, Ilya Petrenko, RT correspondent (Russian): “You said that it cannot do any good. Why?”

SOT, Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defence Minister (Russian): “Well, you know what about any good. Find me a place, a good place, where the United States came, and where they have stayed for a long time, and where the outcome of their presence was good. The same goes for Syria, the same for Libya. Is there something good there? The unceremonious plundering of the state continues there, in Syria. I repeat once again, oil and other minerals are being exported, completely unceremoniously by one hand, without the knowledge and benefit for the Syrian state. On the other hand, there are sanctions that prohibit to supply the same oil products to the same Syria. And not only oil products, but there is also food, medicines, and many, many things. What good happened there? Libya is divided into two parts so far. Well, God willing, the agreements that were signed and the agreements were reached in Berlin would be realised. Of course, everyone is doing their best to ensure that in the end, Libya becomes a peaceful, unified, and, God willing, prosperous state again. When, as we say, non-regional players interfere, we are where we are. I can still give lots of examples, but I think that this is enough.”

#Shoigu #Russia #USWithdrawal #Afghanistan #Tajikistan

Video ID: 20210728-018

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