Russia to officially recognize the Taliban
The final decision would be taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
By IAR Desk
Russia is all set to recognise the Taliban as the legitimate representative of Afghanistan. The country intends to adopt a resolution on removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced this yesterday, 27 May, in Tashkent, reported Russianstate media RIA Novosti. Speaking to journalists at the Uzbek capital Russia’s top diplomat reasoned that “Kazakhstan had recently taken a similar decision, something that we also intend to take, which is removing (the Taliban) from the list of terrorist organizations. ” Lavrov also pointed out that the UN Security Council had never announced the Taliban to be a terrorist organization; only a few of its members, around 12-15 names were on the list of terrorists.
Earlier, Zameer Kabulov, the special envoy of the Russian President for Afghanistan, and director of the second Asia Department, had told RIA Novosti that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice of the Russian Federation had completed working out the modalities of revoking from the Taliban the status of a terrorist organization, and the proposal had been forwarded to the Kremlin. The final decision would be taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier too, Kabulov had told the media that Russia understands the necessity of removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations, and the final decision would be that of the Russian President. At the same time, this decision did not contradict any UN resolution.
Since the beginning of 2021, the Taliban began its attacks on the government forces of Afghanistan. On 15 August the entered Kabul and on the following day , announced that the war had ended. The last two weeks of August, Kabul airport, which was being manned by American soldiers, saw mass evacuation of citizens of Western countries and their Afghan colleagues. American soldiers left Kabul airport on the night of 31 August, bringing to an end two decades adds of the US’s military presence in Afghanistan. Towards the beginning of September the same year an interin Afghan government was announced, headed by Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who had headed the Afghan foreign ministry during the first reign of the Taliban, and who has been on the UN list of sanctioned persons since 2001.
Russia has not officially recognized the interim Afghan government. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the Taliban must resolve issues and work out an inclusive government, which could potentially become the first step towards its official recognition.
Earlier in April, Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press-secretary had said that the Kremlin’s position on the question of remov8ng Taliban from the list of designated terrorists would be possible only after the legalities of the issue had been worked out.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had, however, made it clear that such a decision could be finalized only by the President of the Russian Federation.
