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Putin says Russia hopes to build strong relations with Afghanistan
Russia sees an opportunity to boost relations with Afghanistan amid the country’s stabilization, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
“The CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] is not only alive but thriving,” Putin told journalists following the CSTO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. “All member countries participating in its work are interested in maintaining these ties both now and in the future.”
“What’s going on in Ukraine is not the only reason things are difficult. Is everything so good in Asia? He added. – Should the events on the borders of the commonwealth countries with Afghanistan make us feel so good as to turn our attention elsewhere?”
“The situation in Afghanistan is complex,” Putin noted. “Still, we hope to build strong relations with Afghanistan.”
“We cannot ignore the fact that the situation in the country is stabilizing. We are engaged in bilateral relations with the current authorities of Afghanistan and they [the relations] will be developed further,” the Russian president added.
“However, the situation remains complicated and demands our close attention, including from the CSTO,” Putin said. “After all, the CSTO is concerned not only with military issues, but also with fighting organized crime, drug trafficking and so on. So there is plenty of work to do, and member states are equally interested in addressing this.”
On November 25, an extensive Russian delegation, which was led by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu and also included Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, held four meetings with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad for Political Affairs Abdul Kabir, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, Acting Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob, and Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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