First, Russia accepted a diplomat of the Islamic Emirate at the Afghan embassy in Moscow, and the foreign minister now says that if the Islamic Emirate establishes an inclusive government in Afghanistan, Russia will move towards full diplomatic recognition.
Sergeĭ Viktorovich Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said that the current government are all members of the Islamic Emirate and that inclusivity in the caretaker government will determine Moscow’s next steps.
“We want to work towards the full diplomatic recognition of the new authorities in Afghanistan, under the understanding that they will keep their promise and form an inclusive government not only from the ethno-confessional point of view, since they now have Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras in the government, they are all Taliban members politically. But it is the political inclusiveness that should determine our further moves, especially since the Taliban have proclaimed this aim,” Lavrov said.
Russia’s foreign minister said that Moscow is in regular contact with the Islamic Emirate through its diplomatic channels.
“We have regular contact with the Taliban via our embassies, via representatives of our departments that consider issues of economic cooperation among other issues,” Lavrov stressed.
Meanwhile, a number of politicians in the country consider the creation of an inclusive government as the main need of the Afghan people.
“Unless the Islamic Emirate government is inclusive, no country, neither near nor far, is ready to recognize it,” said Ishaq Gailani, head of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.
Kabul welcomed Moscow’s remarks, but said that the Islamic Emirate had already taken steps to establish an accountable and legitimate government.
“When the diplomatic and political relations are discussed, we welcome them. It is a good step. The Islamic Emirate has also taken steps in this regard, it has take steps in the case of an accountable government that will have the support of the people and full legitimacy,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
Establishing an inclusive government, respecting women’s rights and not using Afghan territory against other countries are also conditions for the international community to recognize the new government in Afghanistan. More than eight months have passed since the Islamic Emirate took control, but no country has yet recognized it.
