Top priority for Russia to ensure Taliban keeps their promises: Foreign Min Sergey Lavrov

As Russia, China, Pakistan and the United States joined hands to ensure political stability in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that new Taliban rulers "must keep their promises."  Lavrov said that the four countries are in continued contact to engage in talks with the Taliban representatives in Qatar.

Diplomats from Russia, China, Pakistan and the US recently travelled to Qatar to meet "secular authorities" ex-President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, Al Jazeera reported.

The Taliban has expressed its willingness to mend relations with western countries, especially the US. The Taliban had "promised" to form an inclusive government and had said that the political heads will observe "general amnesty" and engage in "more moderate" rule than the 1996-2001 term. The Taliban also said that they will sever ties with terrorist organisations and refrain from "terrorism and extremism."

However, in recent days, the group has engaged in its old regressive policies, specifically towards women and girls. Several media reports suggest that the Taliban have refused to abide by "promises" made ahead of the formation of the government in Afghanistan.

"What is most important...is to ensure that the promises that they have proclaimed publicly to be kept," Lavrov said adding "that is the top priority for us." Talking about the new all-male interim Taliban government established on September 8, Lavrov said that it does not "reflect the whole gamut of Afghan society- ethnoreligious and political forces- so we are engaging in contacts. They are ongoing."

Lavrov criticises US President Joe Biden

Holding the US responsible for Afghanistan's fate, Lavrov lambasted US President Joe Biden's administration at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its "hasty withdrawal." He accused that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and US troop pullout "was carried out without any consideration of the consequences." He noted that foreign forces left behind "many weapons" in Afghanistan and hoped that "such weapons are not used for destructive purposes."

In his statement at the UNGA, Lavrov also accused the US and its allies of "sidestepping" the UN in making "persistent attempts to diminish (its) role in resolving key problems of today." Stating examples, he mentioned the multilateral alliance announced by Germany and France. "Even though what kind of structure could be more multilateral than the United Nations?" Lavrov questioned.

"It goes without saying that Washington is going to choose the participants itself, thus, hijacking the right to decide to what degree a country meets the standards of democracy," Lavrov said criticising the US's announcement of the "Summit for Democracy." Calling the initiative "quite in the spirit of Cold War," Lavrov said that the decision declares a new ideological crusade against all dissenters.

The Russian foreign minister also shed light on US-China relations. He dubbed the situation as "totally dysfunctional" and called out the US for its Indo-Pacific Strategy for its objective, which he said included, "deterring China's development" in the South China Sea. Lastly, he asserted that Russia was just keen to ensure none of the relations "morphs into nuclear war."

(Image: AP/Representative)