Kabul could take ‘concrete steps’ for recognition: Russian Envoy

KABUL (Tolo News): Amid the international community’s emphasis on Afghanistan’s need to form an inclusive government, Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov in an interview with TASS news agency said that the complete removal of all existing restrictions from Afghanistan depends on concrete steps of the Islamic Emirate.
“All existing restrictions in this regard could be fully removed by concrete steps of the new government in Kabul aimed at the completion of the inter-Afghan peace process and formation of an ethnically and politically balanced power structure, as well as by unrelenting efforts on combating terrorism and the drug threat,” he said.
Kabulov also said that the countries participating in the “extended Troika” on Afghanistan (Russia, the United States, China and Pakistan) are now coordinating to determine the date of the next round of talks planned before the end of February in Kabul. “Currently, we are coordinating the date of the next round of talks with our partners in the extended Troika, which will be held in Kabul by the end of February,” he said.
Kabulov emphasized that Russia is complying with all existing international laws as it works to develop a relationship with the Islamic Emirate. “When we build practical cooperation with the new Afghan authorities, of course, we observe all the requirements of both international and domestic national legislation. First of all, they relate to the Taliban defendants on the UN Security Council sanctions list – specific individuals who are subject to financial and other restrictions,” the high-ranking diplomat noted.
“Most of these issues go back to the American authorities because the United States … when the United States takes steps toward recognition, other countries will follow,” said Aziz Marej, an ex-diplomat. Kabulov’s remarks come almost six months since the Islamic Emirate took power in Afghanistan and so far no country has recognized it formally.
Along with forming an inclusive government, the rights of women to work, girls to go to school, and the issue of human rights are among the main conditions of the international community to recognize the Islamic Emirate, but Kabul says that they have met all the conditions for recognition.