DUSHANBE, May 13. /TASS/. The situation in Afghanistan cannot be allowed to collapse, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Dushanbe.
"The situation [in Afghanistan] cannot be allowed to collapse again, as this would be too hard for the Afghan people, who have suffered from the presence of NATO for 20 years," Lavrov said after a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.
Lavrov urged the international community to pay more attention to the mobilization of humanitarian aid and other assistance for Afghanistan, saying the US and its allies should bear the greater burden of expenditure on reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Commenting on the escalation in the Panjshir province, the foreign minister said Russia had always called for the situation in Afghanistan to be settled through nationwide dialogue.
Russia and China have been sending messages to the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) emphasizing the need to form an inclusive government. "We expect our allies in Tajikistan who have a major influence on Afghanistan, especially on northern Afghanistan, to continue helping us attain joint goals," Lavrov concluded.
The Taliban was designated a terrorist organization, according to a ruling of Russia's Supreme Court on February 14, 2003.