Russia has expressed reservations about achieving a positive outcome during the ongoing Norwegian humanitarian talks with the Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) even as it continues to advocate for establishing bilateral relations with Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Ministry Head of the Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov told Sputnik on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2022) Russia has expressed reservations about achieving a positive outcome during the ongoing Norwegian humanitarian talks with the Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) even as it continues to advocate for establishing bilateral relations with Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Ministry Head of the Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov told Sputnik on Monday.
On January 22, a delegation headed by the interim Taliban government's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in Oslo on a three-day visit to negotiate on the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as well as "political, educational and economic issues."
"As for Oslo, we have always stood for bilateral relations with Afghanistan, although Norwegian negotiations raise doubts," Kabulov said.
United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West has also arrived in Oslo earlier this day, accompanied by the US-Europe Group envoys, the US Special Envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights Rina Amiri, the US Treasury and USAID officials. The sides are expected to discuss a disastrous humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with European and US officials as well as with the Afghan civil society and the Taliban's leaders.
Afghanistan is facing a dire situation as a result of the takeover by the Taliban. In August 2021, the Taliban took over Afghanistan as the United States was withdrawing troops. The Taliban's swift ascension to power resulted in economic disorder and food shortages that pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian crisis. According to the UN analysis, nearly half of the country's population needs humanitarian assistance, twice as many as in 2020, with about 22 million people facing acute food insecurity. A number of countries and organizations expressed readiness to provide humanitarian assistance to the nation amid political disarray.
