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Russia positively assesses Turkey's participation in Afghan settlement — diplomat

Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said that Moscow understands "Turkey's influence and crucial role in the region"

ANKARA, February 22. /TASS/. Russia thinks that Turkey's participation in the settlement of the Afghan crisis will help achieve results faster, Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan, director if the Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Department on Asia Zamir Kabulov said on Friday after talks with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Ankara.

"Russia's Ambassador to Turkey [Alexey Erkhov] and I had a very meeting with my [Turkish] colleague, director of Turkish Foreign Ministry's Department on South Asia Hakan Tekin. He is a dynamic person, has a rather rich experience because he served as Turkey's Ambassador to Iran and knows all those problems up close. Therefore, we got down to business right away, told him our position and noted that we understand Turkey's influence and crucial role in the region. We see Turkey as an important player in Afghan settlement," Kabulov said.

He noted that Russia "would welcome expanding cooperation between Turkey and the Moscow format." "Turkey, as well as several other countries in the region, has the right to be part of this format. I wouldn't say that it is impossible to resolve the issue without them, but it will be done faster and better with their participation," Kabulov added.