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Russia notes efforts of new Afghan authorities to stabilize situation, says top diplomat

Sergey Lavrov also noted that the new balance of forces in Afghanistan "has no alternatives in the foreseeable future"

MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Russia notes the efforts of Afghanistan’s new administration to stabilize the military and political situation in the country, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said when opening the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

"We note the efforts they (the Taliban interim government - TASS) take to stabilize the military and political situation, establish the activities of the state machine," he said.

"However, the task of achieving stable peace in Afghanistan is still relevant," the minister noted. "We see the formula for its successful solution mainly in the formation of a truly inclusive government, which should fully reflect the interests of all not only ethnic, but also political forces of the country," he added.

The new balance of forces in Afghanistan "has no alternatives in the foreseeable future," Lavrov added. "After a dramatic change of the situation it is senseless to search for those guilty of the failure to reach a tangible result in the matter of national reconciliation. I should only note that the expectations from the previous government of Afghanistan headed by former president Ashraf Ghani have not been met. Currently a new administration holds the power. This fact of life places the responsibility up on the Taliban movement," Russia’s top diplomat emphasized.

After the US announced the end of its operation in Afghanistan and the beginning of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban radical movement (outlawed in Russia) launched an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban militants swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, establishing full control over the country’s capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. On September 6, the Taliban said they had taken control of the entire Afghan territory, and on September 7, they announced that an interim government had been formed. No country has acknowledged its legitimacy so far.