Russia calls for West to lift sanctions on Afghanistan

MOSCOW: Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called on Friday for the West to lift sanctions on Taliban-led Afghanistan and take “responsibility” for reconstruction efforts in the country.

Moscow is moving towards removing its own designation of the Taliban as a “terrorist” organisation, a move that could advance cooperation between Moscow and Kabul.

“We urge Western countries to recognise their responsibility for the post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan, lift sanctions restrictions and return Kabul’s expropriated assets,” Lavrov said.

The Taliban has been under Western sanctions for more than two decades, measures initially imposed to restrict the financing of al-Qaeda and other organisations designated “terrorist” groups.

Russia’s presidential envoy on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said he hoped a “final decision” on removing the group from Russia’s “terrorist” blacklist “will be announced in the very near future,” state news agencies reported.

The officials were speaking as Russia hosted an annual diplomatic forum on Afghanistan, involving envoys from the Taliban and neighbouring countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Moscow has fostered relations with the Taliban since they returned to power in 2021 following the US withdrawal from the war-ravaged country.

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The Soviet Union waged a decade-long war on the country in the 1980s, a conflict which saw the emergence of mujahideen resistance fighters – many of whom became Taliban leaders. Historians also see the war as contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The head of Russia’s FSB security agency Alexander Bortnikov said Friday he wanted to see “mutually beneficial” cooperation with Afghanistan’s special services, state news agencies reported.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was in Moscow for the talks.

Lavrov also said Russia would not accept “third countries” putting military bases in Afghanistan or establishing new military facilities in its neighbouring countries “under any pretext”.

Russia has a major military base in its ally Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan.