The presence of terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (banned in the Russian Federation), persists in Afghanistan, Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at a plenary session of the Valdai international discussion club.
"We see what is happening inside Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the presence of groups, including ISIS, remains there," he said. Putin noted that Russia sees examples of the Taliban (banned in Russia) "trying to somehow get rid of these radical elements."
According to the president, it is "extremely important" for Russia and China to have a "calm, developing Afghanistan" near their borders, which is not a source of terrorism and radicalism.
Normalization of the situation
Normalization in Afghanistan requires help in rebuilding the country's economy, Putin said. "To ensure that normalization takes place at the right pace, of course, it is necessary to help Afghanistan restore its economy," Putin said.
Putin emphasized that NATO countries, which have been fighting in Afghanistan for 20 years, bear the main responsibility for what is happening in this country. "Although the Chinese, Russian and other countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization participation in these processes, the main responsibility for what is going on in Afghanistan rests with the countries that have been fighting there for 20 years," he stressed.
"In my opinion, the first thing they should do is to unfreeze the Afghan assets and let Afghanistan solve the social and economic problems of the utmost importance," Putin emphasized.
Russia and the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will work to ensure that citizens of Afghanistan's neighboring states feel safe regardless of the situation in that country, Putin said. "Bilaterally, we will continue to work actively with China, we will establish a dialogue between the relevant structures, but in general, within the SCO, we will allocate the necessary resources and create all conditions for the citizens of our countries to feel safe regardless of what happens in Afghanistan," the Russian leader said.
He also emphasized that Russia's special services are in contact with the relevant structures in Afghanistan.
"It's very important for us within the SCO to set up work. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are right on the border with Afghanistan. In Tajikistan, there is our military base created on the basis of the 201st Division, still Soviet," Putin added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS