Taliban’s Recognition “Not On The Table”, ln Sync With US, China, Pakistan on Taliban: Russia At UN

New York: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that international recognition of the Taliban was not currently under consideration.

Russia, China, Pakistan, and the United States are working together to ensure that Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers keep their promises, especially to form a genuinely representative government and prevent extremism from spreading, Russia’s foreign minister said Saturday.

Lavrov was speaking on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders in New York for the UN General Assembly. His comments come after the Taliban nominated a UN envoy, setting up a showdown over Afghanistan’s seat at the world body.

“The question of international recognition of the Taliban at the present juncture is not on the table,” Lavrov told a news conference.

Lavrov said the interim government announced by the Taliban does not reflect “the whole gamut of Afghan society — ethnoreligious and political forces — so we are engaging in contacts. They are ongoing.”