MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russia is ready to cooperate with Western countries on Afghanistan, but on equal terms that rule out double standards, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov told TASS in an interview.
"The Russian Federation is ready for a dialogue with Western countries on Afghanistan in the field of counterterrorism and the fight against drugs," he said. "In recent years, many states have encountered the monster of international terrorism."
According to Syromolotov, this cooperation has to be "on equal terms, without the use of the policy of double standards." The history of the Afghan conflict, the Russian deputy foreign minister explained, shows that approach is "especially dangerous."
"It’s the irresponsible policy of the US that led to the current deplorable state of the Afghan economy," Syromolotov said. "Washington's line toward Kabul directly hinders stabilization in Afghanistan."
That hobbles efforts by the Taliban (banned in Russia) to counter international terrorist organizations that are gaining traction in the country, the diplomat said.
The bulk of the cost for the post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan should be borne by Washington and its NATO partners, the deputy minister said. In order to improve the social and economic situation in Afghanistan, Syromolotov said, "the US & Co. need to unfreeze Afghan assets as soon as possible without any conditions."
He said that Russian approaches to international cooperation in the field of combating terrorism remain unchanged. "We are ready for constructive engagement, including with Western states, both as part of specialized international organizations and in a bilateral format," Syromolotov said.