Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): At a joint meeting of Russia and Central Asian countries held in Tajikistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to the security situation in Afghanistan, said: "We see that the authorities of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan are ready to cooperate in various fields, including combating terrorism and drug trafficking. We firmly support these efforts."
He also noted that the situation in Afghanistan is always in the focus of attention of Central Asian countries and regional cooperation is of great importance in confronting security threats.
The Russian President emphasized that Moscow is particularly concerned about the presence and activities of groups such as ISIS Khorasan branch and other extremist groups in Afghanistan, and stressed the need for joint measures to prevent cross-border threats.
Earlier, Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President's Special Representative for Afghanistan, criticized NATO's performance in the country and said that terrorist groups are the product of Western military intervention, and that the Islamic Emirate government is now Russia's partner in the fight against international terrorism.
These statements come at a time when Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan this year and accepted the credentials of the new ambassador of the Islamic Emirate.