Afghanistan: Russian ambassador in Kabul to meet Taliban officials in Kabul

Kabul, Afghanistan, August 16: Taliban guards in front of the presidential palace in the capital.

AP - Rahmat Gul

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

As Western diplomats flee Kabul in a hurry, the Russian ambassador will meet tomorrow, Tuesday August 17, with representatives of the Taliban regime.

In particular, he must address the issue of securing the Russian representation in Kabul.

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In the management of the Afghan crisis, Russia seeks, as usual, to profile itself as an essential interlocutor, reports our correspondent in Moscow,

Jean-Didier Revoin

. Even if we learned at the end of the morning that Moscow was preparing to partially evacuate its embassy, ​​the Kremlin intends to continue dialogue with the Taliban. Yet on Sunday, Zamir Kabulov, the Kremlin's emissary for Afghanistan, quoted by the Interfax news agency, assured that no evacuation of the embassy and that Russia was one of the countries that received guarantees from the Taliban. as for the security of their embassies, explained Mr. Kabulov.

In addition to issues related to the long-term security of its diplomatic representation in Kabul, Russia also does not rule out recognizing the religious regime which seized power with a speed that surprised everyone.

According to Zamir Kabulov, Moscow will decide whether or not to recognize Afghan power depending on the actions of the new regime.

To read also

: in Afghanistan, the lightning conquest of the Taliban tarnishes the image of the United States

Zamir Kabulov is due to meet with the Taliban security coordinator, news agencies said.

Given the proximity of Afghanistan to the borders of Russia, Moscow only fears one thing, and that is that terrorists, for example belonging to the Islamic State, will manage to penetrate into the former Soviet republics bordering on it. 'Afghanistan, then reach Russia. 

According to several sources, the fugitive president of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani is said to have taken refuge in Uzbekistan.

The

soldiers of the Afghan army

are also found refuge.

Russia participated in major military exercises in Uzbekistan earlier this month and has a large military base in Tajikistan.

A non-negligible risk, therefore, and it is for this reason that at the same time, Moscow is scrambling to organize an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council as quickly as possible.

Russia had signed, alongside the United States and several countries, an appeal last week for an end to the fighting and an acceleration of the discussions

According to several sources, the fugitive president of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani is said to have taken refuge in Uzbekistan.

Soldiers of the Afghan regular army have also taken refuge there.

Russia participated earlier this month in

major military exercises with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

, countries where it has a large military base and which has some 1,300 km border with Afghanistan.

To read also

: Russia helps the army of Tajikistan alerted by the advance of the Taliban in Afghanistan

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 : in Afghanistan, chaos and confusion at the airport and in Kabul

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