ST. PETERSBURG, June 9. /TASS/. Work on the possible removal of the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) from the list of undesirable organizations is based on the need for contacts with it, including in the fight against terrorism, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

She pointed out that certain bloggers and journalists "react nervously to the fact that Russia maintains contacts with the Taliban movement," the current government in Afghanistan. "Apparently, those who write about these issues do not realize that the solution to such problems as the fight against drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime actually requires contacts. And it is in our interest to respond to changes pragmatically, in line with attitudes focused on national interests," the diplomat pointed out.

"Now the question, which is also of great interest to everyone, is when, how and in what form the decisions on the so-called delisting will be adopted or developed. This is interdepartmental work. It involves experts from different areas. But it is based on the basic principle of the need to solve the problems created or exacerbated by the Americans inside Afghanistan, and to which, of course, an answer must be given both inside Afghanistan and by the countries of the region, but also by all other countries of the world," she said.