Russia calls on the neighboring countries of Afghanistan to prevent the military presence of the US and NATO forces on their territory, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday in a video address to participants of a ministerial meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors (Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).
"Once again, we call on Afghanistan's neighboring countries not to allow the military presence of US and NATO forces on their territory, which plan to move there after leaving Afghan soil," he said.
Lavrov said the US has always treated Afghanistan only as a tool to solve its geopolitical tasks.
"The stubborn desire of Westerners to reshape Afghanistan to their own specifications has led to sad consequences: internal enmity and bloodshed, the polarization of society, socio-economic collapse, and a humanitarian catastrophe. It has fostered international terrorist groups, drug production and corruption that are unheard of," he said. - "But who in the United States or other Western capitals cares? Afghanistan, situated thousands of kilometers away, has always been for them only a convenient instrument for the realization of narrow selfish geopolitical tasks".
Lavrov pointed out that Afghanistan today is a country that actually has to start from scratch, to build itself up from the ruins - literally and figuratively. "This is the logical, deplorable result of two decades of imposing the US-NATO model of state-building," the minister said.
In an earlier interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Yury Kokov noted that under the pretext of countering terrorist groups, the United States "is seeking to gain a foothold in neighboring states, forming bases there to deploy its drones and training centers to train local military, law enforcement and special services personnel."
Fighting terrorists
Lavrov said that terrorists, posing as refugees from Afghanistan, are trying to infiltrate into neighboring countries, and this must be countered.
"Now on the agenda is the task of curbing and controlling migration flows from Afghanistan, because terrorist and criminal elements can and are already trying to infiltrate into neighboring countries under the guise of refugees," he said.
"This goal can only be achieved by creating normal living conditions in Afghanistan itself. This will then be an important prerequisite for the gradual return of Afghans to their homeland," the minister added.
Creating an inclusive government
In addition, Lavrov said Moscow has consistently advocated the creation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan and does not intend to impose its recommendations on the country.
"Russia is not inclined to impose its advice or recommendations on anyone. Especially since history itself suggests effective recipes for solving problems. It is vitally important to take into account the interests of all the major ethno-political forces in the country. This is why we firmly and consistently support the creation of a truly inclusive Afghan government," he said.
"Citizens should know that their rights and legitimate aspirations are not in word but in deed implemented and will be protected by the letter of the law, of course, while respecting and taking into account local traditions and customs," Lavrov pointed out.
Potential of SCO and CSTO
Lavrov said Russia plans to use the full potential of the SCO and CSTO to combat drug trafficking and terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan.
"It is obvious that without a decisive fight against drug production and smuggling, as well as against international terrorist groups rooted in Afghanistan and manipulated from outside, it is hardly possible to build a normal foreign policy, especially with neighboring countries that are primarily in the focus of these destructive forces," said the head of the Russian foreign ministry. -"For our part, we are planning to use all available international and regional instruments - resources of the UN, SCO, CSTO, and other multilateral institutions".
He also noted that Moscow admits with satisfaction the closeness of the positions of the CSTO and SCO summits in Dushanbe in September. "We are satisfied with the results of the special joint meeting of the CSTO and SCO members," the minister added.
Responsibility for reconstruction of Afghanistan
NATO member countries and the US should bear the main responsibility for the social and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, as they brought the country to the current state, Lavrov said.
"It is obvious that the formation of the system of national education, health care, in general, the establishment of an effective socio-economic infrastructure of Afghanistan will require huge financial costs. In this regard, I would like to emphasize that those who brought the country to its current state should bear the main responsibility," he said.
According to the minister, it is probably time "to start mobilization of resources for financial, economic and humanitarian aid to Afghans". "The customary principle of conferences for the sake of conferences is hopefully a thing of the past. The time for concrete actions in this area is approaching," said Lavrov.
The foreign minister stressed that the United Nations should play the coordinating role. "Participants of the meeting of the Moscow consultations format on Afghanistan on October 20 appealed to the UN in this very respect," he added.
Returning to the world stage
Lavrov said the interim government of the Taliban (banned in the Russian Federation) has a real, though elusive, opportunity to return the country to the world stage as a responsible and peaceful state.
"Now a new administration is in power in Kabul. This is the objective reality. The country is facing a real, albeit elusive, opportunity to return to the international arena as a responsible and peaceful state," the minister said.
Moscow respects the goals of stabilizing the military-political situation, including representatives of national minorities and political forces in the interim government, and holding general elections later, Lavrov said. "We note the efforts to resume the activities of state administration bodies, create a regular army, and ensure the security of foreign diplomatic missions," he added.
Humanitarian aid
Lavrov also said Russia plans to send a shipment of food and medicine to Afghanistan in the near future.
"Russia is ready to contribute to the overall effort," he said. - "In the near future, we plan to send a batch of humanitarian aid to our Afghan partners, including food, medicines, and other essential goods".
The first online meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors was held on September 8. During the current event in Tehran, the sides plan to focus on how to help form an inclusive government in Afghanistan with the presence of all ethnic groups. In the face-to-face format, Moscow will be represented by the ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan.
The Taliban launched a large-scale operation to take control of Afghanistan after the US announced in the spring of this year the decision to withdraw its military forces from there. On August 15, the radicals entered Kabul without a fight and president Ashraf Ghani left the republic. On September 6, the Taliban declared control over the whole territory of Afghanistan and on September 7, they announced the members of their provisional government, the legitimacy of which was not recognized by any country.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS