Sergei Lavrov opposes talks with Taliban leaders

Commenting on a new proposal by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai about talks with the leader of the Taliban Movement mullah Omar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov opposed any contacts with the Taliban spiritual leader. In an interview with the Moscow-based daily Vremya Novostei he made this statement.

Reportedly, on the eve the Afghan leader guaranteed security to mullah Omar in case if he decided to arrive in Kabul for holding talks.

According to Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s position on the issue is based on the resolutions of the UN Security Council. “UN Security Council Sanctions Committees function in New York and there is the al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee that has a list of persons accused of being involved in terrorist activity and are subjected to such sanctions. Any contact with these people is prohibited. This is the position of the UN Security Council rather than Russia. Russia will defend it,” Sergei Lavrov said.

At the same time Sergei Lavrov supported the possibility of holding talks with those who will surrender weapons, repent for waging a wrong life-style and express desire to return to the reconciliation path. “I believe path to politics is not closed to those whose names are not soiled with terrorist activity. However, the Taliban leaders, who are well known and according to the UN Security Council, are blamed for the tragedy of the Afghan people should not be pardoned,” emphasized Sergei Lavrov.

The Russian Foreign Minister also commented on the on the initiative put forward by the Uzbek President Islam Karimov on the resumption of the talks of the 6+2 contact group on Afghanistan. “This does not include Afghanistan. How could any one talk about a new process on Afghanistan by adding the group NATO and without saying about the Afghan government?” Sergei Lavrov said

In short, Russia’s position on the issue coincides with that of Kabul, which was expressed by the Afghan Foreign Minister, Rangin Dadfar Spanta during his interview with the “Afghanistan.Ru” news portal on the 25th of May. The Afghan Foreign Minister made it clear that the Kabul government would oppose any regional mechanisms that have no representation of the Afghan authorities.