“We are interested in the fact that Afghanistan was a civilized and effective democratic state,” Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said during an interview with Spanish mass media.

According to Dmitri Medvedev, the Russian Federation is interested in stepping up work on Afghanistan. “We see the threat posed by radical groups operating on the territories of Afghanistan, Pakistan and several other countries,” the Russian leader noted. “These groups pose a threat to mankind and significantly or first and foremost to their own people. Consequently, we are ready to step up this cooperation, in fact, in all directions and step up this cooperation with the US too. We have already put forward several proposals concerning non-military transit so that the US could use these possibilities. We have relevant agreements with France and Germany. We discuss the issue with Spain too. Consequently, we believe such work should be resumed,” Dmitri Medvedev said.

The Russian President welcomed a decision by the new US Administration that described the resolution of the Afghan crisis as a priority. “As far as I understand the new US president set this task among the most important foreign policy priorities. We share this approach. Moreover, we are ready to be involved in also discussions on issues linked with settling the internal developments and tasks of Afghanistan, including the attraction of responsible international organizations. We agreed on holding a conference on this topic at the recent summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Dmitri Medvedev said.

According to the Russian leader, SCO member countries are keen on stabilization the situation in Afghanistan. “They are interested in the fact that a settlement is achieved more actively and energetically, exactly as the suitable basis was founded so as to create a normal political system in Afghanistan, the system, which will be trusted by the people of the country and will be effective and will not be imposed by outside or weak,” the Russian President.