Foreign Minister Lavrov: Esteemed colleagues,

Our present talks are taking place at a very significant moment for Russian-Afghan relations. This month marks 90 years since Russia recognized Afghanistan’s independence, and two months from now the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries will be observed. Our relations went through different periods, but the desire for greater friendship and cooperation, as well as mutual respect and support prevail in them.

We advocate intensifying the international economic and social rehabilitation efforts in Afghanistan. Russia contributes concretely to these efforts. Over 140 industry, energy, infrastructure, transport and communications plants are built in Afghanistan with the aid of our country. Russia made a major contribution to forming the defense potential of Afghanistan. Today our experts and companies are working in projects to modernize Naglu HPP and to build several mini-hydros here.

We are working on education assistance to Afghanistan. We will be restoring Kabul Polytechnic University. We are increasing the number of scholarships that are allocated to Afghanistan to train its citizens in Russia’s universities and colleges, including in fields related to the struggle against drug trafficking and to the training of law enforcement specialists.

We are providing humanitarian aid to the friendly Afghan people. Eighteen thousand tons of flour has already been delivered this year. Only the day before yesterday one more plane arrived bringing 40 tons of humanitarian cargo.

We are unanimous with our Afghan friends and with the entire world community that terrorism, drug trafficking and the related organized crime are the chief obstacle to Afghanistan’s peaceful, constructive development. These threats create problems for this and other regions of the world.

Today we took an important step towards further increasing the effectiveness of the fight against these threats by signing an agreement between the Russian Federation and Afghanistan to combat illicit trade of narcotic drugs.

We attach great significance to the upcoming conference on March 27 in Moscow under the aegis of the SCO on countering the terrorist and narco-threat in this region. I am grateful to Mr. Minister, my colleague and friend Spanta for the consent to participate in this event together with foreign ministers from other states.

The chief conclusion from the present talks is that Russia and Afghanistan are disposed to further strengthen friendship and develop our cooperation in all fields.

I thank Mr. Spanta for the hospitality and invite him to make a reciprocal visit to the Russian Federation.

Question: How do you see the participation of Russia in resolving the situation in the region today, considering that the Afghan problem can no longer be tackled without taking account of the situation in Pakistan?

Foreign Minister Lavrov (replies after Spanta): Russia is interested in raising the effectiveness of international efforts to resolve the situation in and around Afghanistan. Our initiative to hold the SCO-sponsored Moscow Conference and the readiness to help raise the effectiveness of the activities of the International Security Assistance Force are proof of this. The decisions are already taken. We are also ready to discuss extra measures. We actively support involving in these efforts all of Afghanistan’s neighbors without exception. In particular, all countries adjoining Afghanistan, including the Central Asian states, Iran and Pakistan are invited to the Moscow Conference. We consider this to be very important and want all these countries to be further involved in the world community efforts of support for Afghanistan in solving its problems. We also welcome the dialogue that is evolving between Afghanistan and Iran and between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Question: What will the reaction of Russia be if the international community requests it to send troops to Afghanistan? How do you assess the situation in Afghanistan today, eight years after the overthrow of Taliban rule?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: I can at once say that the international community isn’t asking the Russian Federation to send troops to Afghanistan. Such actions are not being planned. We want the international contingents already here to act in full agreement with the leadership of Afghanistan, their legal status within the territory of this country to be properly formalized and all of their activities to be directed at the soonest eradication of the terrorist and narcotic threats in and around Afghanistan. The success of their mission in Afghanistan will help reduce the acuteness of these threats outside it. Apart from sending troops to Afghanistan, there are many other concrete practical measures aimed at solving the problems of this country. Russia will actively participate in carrying them out. In so doing we will take into account the position of the Government of Afghanistan urging the international community to pay more attention to the socioeconomic reconstruction of the country, the training of national personnel and the strengthening of government structures.

As to the situation inside Afghanistan, this is primarily an internal matter of the Afghans themselves. For our part we want this situation to evolve constructively and give no occasion for extremists to try and undermine the positive tendencies and especially the election process now unfolding in Afghanistan. We expect the executive and legislative branches of Afghanistan to do everything to prevent such destabilization.

Question: As is known, Russia gave NATO countries the possibility to ship nonmilitary cargo via its territory. Is Russia prepared to consider the possibility of transit of military cargo, in particular, military equipment?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: Regarding the extra measures that may be taken by Russia to render support to Afghanistan, I have already said in my opening remarks and in response to the previous question.

Question: What can you say about the upcoming elections in Afghanistan and with regard to Afghanistan’s request that Russia as successor to the Soviet Union offer compensation for destruction inflicted?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: Regarding the latter part of the question – I have not heard that this question was officially raised somewhere. As I have said, we want to render comprehensive assistance to Afghanistan at this complicated stage of its development. Economically and financially we have done quite a lot. Where finances and the alleviation of the debt burden of Afghanistan are concerned, Russia has done more than any other country.

As to preparations for this year’s presidential and provincial elections, this question is, of course, one of the key issues for the domestic political agenda of Afghanistan. It has also received wide international coverage. This is understandable, given the sincere interest of the world community in seeing Afghanistan develop in an ongoing, stable manner without any destabilizing moments. We hope that it is from this vantage point that the Afghans themselves will do preparatory work for the elections, and that no outside interference in this process occurs. We support the Afghan leaders’ position. I also felt it in today’s conversations with the speakers of both houses of the Afghan parliament. This position aims to prevent extremists from rocking the boat at this complicated stage in the country.

Source: MFA of Russia