Freezing of Afghan bank assets counterproductive: Lavrov

KABUL (Pajhwok): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused western countries for inflicting irreparable damage on the people of Afghanistan and called on them to bear the main burden of the country’s post-conflict reconstruction, according to a media report on Friday.

In his written message to the Moscow Format Meeting in Kazan, Lavrov said “The Western countries, which inflicted irreparable damage on the Afghan people, must bear the main burden of the country’s post-conflict reconstruction,” the top Russian diplomat stressed.

“In this regard, Washington’s freezing of Afghan bank assets is counterproductive and only escalates the situation and complicates the already difficult living conditions of ordinary Afghans,” Lavrov concluded.

“We are concerned about the attempts of extra-regional players to become more active in the Afghan direction,” the top Russian diplomat said in his message, which was read out at the meeting by Russian Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov.