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Russia retains considerable influence on Taliban — Russian envoy

"The Taliban look at Russia with respect, not as a large country, but as an influential member of the international community," Zamir Kabulov noted

MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Russia's influence on the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) in Afghanistan remains considerable, Russia's special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, director of the Foreign Ministry's second Asian department, Zamir Kabulov, said at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences' presidium on Tuesday.

"Yes, [the influence remains considerable]," he said in reply to a corresponding question. "The Taliban look at Russia with respect, not as a large country, but as an influential member of the international community. They do bear in mind Russia's influence of a global power, capable of balancing the exorbitant ambitions of other global superpowers."

Kabulov stressed that the Afghans were grateful people.

"They will never forget that we made a balanced and fair assessment of that movement, when it was in military and political opposition," he said.

Tags

Foreign policy Russian Foreign Ministry Afghanistan

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