NEW DELHI, November 10. /TASS/. Humanitarian aid providers must have unhampered, unrestricted and direct access to Afghanistan, the press service of the Russian Security Council’s office reports on the heels of multilateral consultations of region nations’ security councils on Afghanistan, held in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"Concerns were expressed over the worsening of the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and the importance of urgent humanitarian aid for the Afghan people was emphasized," the press service said. According to the Russian Security Council, the meeting confirmed that the suppliers of humanitarian aid "must get an unimpeded, unrestricted and direct access to Afghanistan, while inside the country it must be distributed without discrimination among all tiers of Afghan society".

India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan took part in a regional dialogue on security in Afghanistan on November 10. They were represented by national security advisors or secretaries of security councils. Russia was represented by Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev.

The participants in the consultations also stressed the central and key role of the UN in Afghanistan. "The permanent presence of the UN in the country must be maintained," the report said, also emphasizing the importance of ensuring the rights of women, children and national minorities.

Besides, the parties to the consultations reiterated the importance of assistance to Afghanistan in the battle against coronavirus. They agreed to continue teamwork on the Afghan issue in this format. A declaration was passed after the consultations, incorporating these provisions among others.

After the Biden administration announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained full control over the Afghan 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 country and announced a new interim government the following day. However, this government has not been officially recognized by any of the world nations.