The global community is beginning to acknowledge that the Taliban (banned in Russia) is the de facto governing authority in Afghanistan, a reality that Russia identified much earlier, Zamir Kabulov, the Special Representative of the Russian President for Afghanistan, Director of the Second Asian Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told TASS.
"Indeed, the realization is dawning. For Russia, this understanding came much earlier. Better late than never," stated Kabulov when asked if the international community is starting to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate power with which they need to engage.
An upcoming meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan, initiated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, is scheduled to take place in Doha from June 30 to July 1. Regarding Russia's expectations from the Doha event, Kabulov commented: "From our perspective, this meeting will be beneficial if it fosters the resumption of close and constructive cooperation between the international community and the Afghan authorities. This is essential for addressing the socio-economic challenges facing the country. This will be our approach."
Kabulov also mentioned plans for informal discussions with the Taliban delegation during the Doha meeting. "Certainly. We will communicate both on the sidelines and in any other convenient formats," he confirmed when asked about the possibility of a bilateral meeting with the Taliban delegation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on TASS materials