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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The Russian President’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov has offered cooperation to US and NATO member countries to accommodate common goals in Afghanistan.
According to TASS report on Friday, “we, for our part, are ready to restore cooperation with the US and with the NATO countries to settle our common tasks in Afghanistan,” Kabulov said.
The Russian envoy said Moscow has not yet held official talks with the new US administration on Afghan issues.
He added that in general context, the present time is not favorable for the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan.
Moreover, he added, “The situation in the sphere of security, there is degenerating and a whole set of factors makes the Afghan National Security Forces incapable of putting up resistance to the armed opposition on their own.”
He said, keeping in view the ongoing situations in Afghanistan, withdrawal of foreign forces could leave unpredictable consequences and ruin whatever encouraging achievements and developments of the past few years.
This comes after Gen. John Nicholson, commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and US forces in Afghanistan told to a US Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that Russia has been deeply involved in Afghanistan.
He said that the Russia has recently invited the Taliban’s representatives, China and Pakistan to Moscow to negotiate Afghanistan’s future but no official from Kabul was included.
He said, “A peace and reconciliation process should be Afghan-led.”
He complained that Russia has moved to legitimize the Taliban by inviting their insurgents to Moscow and giving birth to a “false narrative” that Taliban insurgents are fighting the ISIS terrorists in Afghanistan.
He added that Russian involvement in Afghanistan is, “to undermine the United States and NATO mission in Afghanistan.”
To overcome the challenges, he demanded additional troops, aimed at to enhance war capabilities and training of Afghan soldiers.
Moreover, he pointed out the sanctuaries that Taliban insurgents continually enjoy in Pakistan remains a major obstacle.
He added, “It is very difficult to succeed on the battlefield when your enemy enjoys external support and safe haven.”
He said, “We need to do a holistic review of our Pakistan policy.”
Responding to remarks of US Gen. Nicholson, Zamir Kabulov said, “This is a simple lie….This is nonsense.”
He added, “All of these are attempts to justify their own failures and inability to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and there is no other explanation to this.”
The Afghan Defense Ministry has welcomed and backed on Friday the suggestion of additional US troops in Afghanistan to train Afghan Security Forces, who are fighting to eliminate Taliban-led insurgency.
Afghan Defense Ministry spokesperson Dawlat Waziri said that additional US and NATO forces would be a good initiative to eliminate and counter militant groups in the country.
He added, “The Afghan Defense Ministry supports any decision taken between the Afghan and American governments.”
He further said, “This is a joint battle against terrorism and we support and possible way to tackle terrorism in the country.”
Dawlat Waziri commented into the matter just after the telephonic conversation of US President Donald Trump and his Afghan counterpart Muhammad Ashraf Ghani where the two leaders have discussed counter terrorism, security cooperation and economic development.
As usual, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has told to Reuters, “This is nothing more than a dream and we have experienced large numbers of invaders in our country. This would be nothing more than suffering and more casualties.”
