Russia will not rush to recognize the Taliban in Afghanistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said on Monday, explaining that the decision will depend on the Taliban's behavior, according to CNN.
Speaking in an interview with radio station Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) Zamir Kabulov said: “Firstly, no one is going to rush with this [recognition]. Recognition or non-recognition will depend on the behavior of the new authorities. We will carefully watch how responsibly they will govern the country in the near future. As a result, the Russian leadership will draw the necessary conclusions and make a decision."
Kabulov added that Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, is in contact with a representative of the Taliban leadership and will meet on Tuesday with a coordinator from the Taliban to ensure external security, including that of the Russian embassy.
The Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan said there are currently no threats to the Russian Embassy in Kabul, so the diplomats will continue their work, as usual, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported on Sunday.
