Russia to stay in touch with IEA, says Putin

KABUL (Pajhwok): Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced strong aversion to a new civil strife in Afghanistan.

“It is in our interest to prevent a recurrence of civil war in Afghanistan,” he said at the Russia-Central Asia summit.

A state-run Russian media outlet quoted him as telling the high-level meeting in Astana on Friday that his country maintained the necessary level of contacts with the Taliban administration.

At the same time, Putin lashed out at Western spy services for aiding Afghan groups averse to the Taliban. However, he did not name any intelligence agency.

“Of course, we should need to stay in touch with the current authorities in Afghanistan. You know my position,” the Russian leader remarked.

Putin went on to assure his Central Asia counterparts that Russia would continue keep in close touch with the new Afghan rulers.

Presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the summit.

PAN Monitor/mud

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