MOSCOW, September 16. / TASS /. Afghanistan’s neighboring states can help the country’s people overcome the crisis brought by the years of war unleashed by the US and NATO, Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday at a meeting with his Chinese and Pakistani counterparts as well as the representatives of Iran’s Foreign Ministry in Dushanbe.
"We believe that the countries directly bordering Afghanistan are able to influence the situation in the region, and also to help the Afghan people deal with the crisis caused by the twenty-year war unleashed by the US and NATO. Acting with the best of intentions, we can create the appropriate external conditions, so that Afghans control their own future, without posing a threat to neighboring countries (considering terrorism, drug trafficking and so on)," Lavrov stated.
The Russian foreign minister stressed the importance for the four countries to address the Afghan issue on the sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) summit. "The topic is relevant for everyone. Multiple ways to handle the situation are proposed," Lavrov mentioned.
The Taliban (banned in Russia) launched a large-scale operation to establish control over Afghanistan after the US had announced its intention to withdraw its forces in the spring. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. By September 8, the Taliban announced the new interim government, which included only the movement’s members. For almost two weeks, the radicals could not approve the new Cabinet, mainly, due to "technical difficulties and preparations.".