Ties with Afghanistan should not be hostage to IEA recognition: Kabulov

Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has said that relations with Afghanistan should not be held hostage or obstructed by the issue of recognizing the Islamic Emirate.

In an interview Anadolu Agency, Kabulov said that the recognition is important for any country that wants to develop normal relations with other members of global society, and the very pulse of life will motivate the IEA government to take the necessary steps in this direction.

Zamir Kabulov also said that Russia has no complaints about the Islamic Emirate’s foreign policy, and the Kremlin also approves the Islamic Emirate’s fight against Daesh.

This Russian diplomat also said that Moscow’s request does not mean that the Islamic Emirate should include the officials of the previous government in its administration.

“On domestic policy, we still have differences, as the president and the foreign minister have repeatedly said. We are more concerned about political inclusivity, rather than ethnic inclusivity, which the Taliban [IEA] insist on, this does not mean that Russia insists on including fugitive Afghan statesmen in the Afghan leadership. They have already made their choice. Let the Afghan people draw their own conclusions about them,” Kabulov said.

They envoy also added that non-Pashtun ethnic groups, which make up more than half of Afghanistan’s population, should have the right to participate and vote in the government.

Disparities persist concerning large non-Pashtun ethnic groups in Afghanistan – Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks and Turkmens – who are called a “minority” but collectively make up more than half of the Afghan population and should have the right to vote and participate in the country’s governance, he said.

The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized on establishing good relations with all countries, but has said that it does not allow interference in internal affairs.