Lavrov: New Afghan govt a reality to be reckoned with

KABUL (Pajhwok): The caretaker Afghan government is a reality that needs to be reckoned with, says Russia’s top diplomat.

“We assume that the Taliban are a reality. Talks with them are necessary,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

However, he told reporters in New York Russia would not recognise the Taliban government unless it respected its obligations.

TASS news agency quoted him as saying: “Basic human rights are also mentioned among other criteria for international recognition, including the rights of girls and women.”

The West should not skip discussions on dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, he opined, blaming the US and NATO members for failing to boost the country’s economy.

Lavrov stressed Afghanistan’s development needed the foreign reserves of the Afghan central bank frozen by the United States.

Russia was supportive of the initiative to organise a meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan in Doha on May 1, he said.

PAN Monitor/mud

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