Russia hosts Afghan talks, calls for inclusive government

Moscow: Russia hosted talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighbouring nations, a round of diplomacy that underlines Moscow's clout.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov opened the talks and emphasized that forming a really inclusive government fully reflecting the interests of not only all ethnic groups but all political forces of the country is necessary to achieve a stable peace in Afghanistan.

Russia had worked for years to establish contacts with the Taliban, even though it has designated the group a terror organisation in 2003 and never took it of the list. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law, but the Foreign Ministry has responded to questions about the apparent contradiction by saying that its exchanges with the Taliban are essential for helping stabilise Afghanistan.

Unlike many other countries, Russia hasn't evacuated its embassy in Kabul and its ambassador has maintained regular contacts with the Taliban after they took over the Afghan capital in August.

Lavrov commended the Taliban for their efforts to stabilise the military-political situation in the country and ensure the operation of state structures.

We are satisfied with the level of practical interaction with Afghan authorities, which allows to effectively ensure security of Russian citizens in Afghanistan and unimpeded operation of our embassy in Kabul, Lavrov said in his opening speech at the conference.

At the same time, he emphasised the importance of respecting human rights and pursuing well-balanced social policies, adding that he discussed those issues with the Taliban delegation before the talks.

Abdul Salam Hanafi, a deputy prime minister in the Taliban's interim government, who attended Wednesday's talks, said the meeting is very important for stability of the entire region.

Lavrov said that Russia would soon dispatch a shipment of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and urged the international community to quickly mobilise resources to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the country.

The Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with its troops withdrawing in 1989. In recent years, Moscow has made a strong comeback as an influential power broker in international talks on Afghanistan, hosting the Taliban representatives and members of other factions for bilateral and multilateral meetings.