KABUL (TCA) — Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani says that Russian officials have assured the Afghan government that contacts between Russia and the Taliban are aimed only at persuading the insurgent group to endorse peace talks with the Afghan government, TOLOnews agency reported on March 19.
He stated that certain countries in the region, including Russia, have established contacts with the Taliban.
Rabbani stressed that Russia has promised the Afghan government that ties with the Taliban were to encourage peace talks between the two sides.
“Our relations with the Taliban are only to motivate them to attend the peace negotiation talks with the government of Afghanistan,” Rabbani quoted the Russian officials as saying.
On March 19, Rabbani left for Washington to take part in a two-day international conference on Daesh.
Foreign ministers from 68 countries are due to attend the conference where they will discuss ways to tackle the terrorist group.
“Russia, besides reiterating its cooperation with the Afghan government, also clarified its position on issues such as war on terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. They (Russians) also said that Russia will never endorse groups such as the Taliban (and see them as) a legitimate group,” the Afghan foreign minister said on March 19.
“Coming closer with the Taliban will not benefit Russia, China and Iran, but it would only strengthen the Taliban and pose harm to the region,” TOLOnews quoted military analyst Atiqullah Amarkhail as saying.
On March 10, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that accusations of Russia’s support of the Taliban in Afghanistan through arms supplies are “absurd”.
Moscow’s aim in contacts with the fundamentalist Taliban movement in Afghanistan is to encourage its members to join national reconciliation efforts and ensure the safety of Russian citizens, the ministry said in a statement.
