The Taliban (terrorist group banned in Russia) can be removed from the label of terrorist group, but for this the Afghan authorities must fulfill their obligations. This was stated in an interview with Russian media by the President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Director of the Second Asian Department of the Foreign Ministry, Zamir Kabulov. He added that the Taliban in Moscow are now represented by a charge d’affaires.
“This (the removal of the Taliban terrorist organization label) will happen, which has been repeatedly stated by the President (of Russia Vladimir Putin) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sergey Lavrov). Once that the Taliban have fulfilled their initial commitment to create an inclusive and ethno-politically inclusive government, such a step can be taken,” Kabulov said.
The Afghan Embassy in Moscow is currently headed by a Chargé d’Affaires, Kabulov said. “Before, even under the old regime, he (charge d’affaires) worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul. <…> He is not an ambassador, he is an interim charge d’affaires – it is fundamental. Officially, the new authorities are not recognized, which means that there cannot be an ambassador before recognition,” the diplomat explained.
The formal operation of the embassy is important given the need for consular services from the vast Russian Afghan diaspora, Kabulov said. He added that this diaspora has increased “due to the military-political situation”. “(The diaspora) has increased somewhat, people, for obvious reasons, are fleeing the danger of war, hostilities. But this diaspora is widely distributed in, say, the post-Soviet space. Some of them end up in Central Asia, others in Russia and other adjacent territories,” the special representative explained.
In September 2021, the Taliban* captured Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, and took control of most of the country. President Ashraf Ghani resigned and fled. In October of the same year, representatives of the Taliban announced that they were negotiating with Russia for their official recognition as the Afghan government.
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