Lavrov says Taliban is the real force in Afghanistan and is not indifferent to Central Asian countries

Sergey Lavrov

Central Asia (California) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Taliban was excluded from Russia’s list of banned terrorist organizations because the group holds real power in Afghanistan. TASS.

“They are the real power. Afghanistan is not indifferent to us. It is not indifferent to our allies, especially in Central Asia. So this process reflects the recognition of reality,” Lavrov said.

The Russian foreign minister also pointed out that the UN Security Council has not declared the Taliban a terrorist organization.

The position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was supported by the Russian Ministry of Justice. Today, May 27, famousThe two ministries presented their respective positions to President Vladimir Putin. Russia also invited the authorities of the Afghan Emirate to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

A ruling of the Russian Supreme Court has designated the Taliban as terrorists since March 2003. On August 15, 2021, the movement seized power in Afghanistan. In December 2023, the Kazakh authorities removed the Taliban from the list of banned groups. The Taliban is recognized as a terrorist organization in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the movement is not officially banned.