Russian Foreign Ministry: the United States and the West should bear financial responsibility for the reconstruction of Afghanistan
The United States and Western countries should bear full financial responsibility for the post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan. Zamir Kabulov, special representative of the Russian president for Afghanistan, director of the second department of Asia of the Russian Foreign Ministry, spoke about the possibility of providing a loan to the Afghan government, RIA Novosti reports.
According to the diplomat, Moscow can take a similar step if the decision is made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “But you understand, have we got some extra money? Let’s be careful with this. Our priority is the provision of humanitarian aid, food supplies, the provision of specific products and other essentials. This is what the Afghan people can use to survive this winter, ”Kabulov said.
The special representative stressed that it was the West that froze Afghan assets. “This is not Taliban (Taliban, banned in Russia) money, but the money of the Afghan people. And Russia now takes a highly moral position, we are already helping Afghanistan with humanitarian supplies, ”he concluded.
Earlier, Kabulov said that Russia is seeking to restore the connection of Afghan banks to the international SWIFT payment system, as this prevents assistance to the population. He noted that it is necessary to save Afghans without waiting for adults and children to start dying.
Since the Taliban came to power, the Afghan government has been under sanctions. Western banks froze foreign assets of Kabul at the direction of Washington, and the work of Afghan banks in the SWIFT payment system was stopped. At the same time, in early December, the United States still allowed its citizens and permanent residents of the country to make private money transfers to Afghanistan.
Photo: Konstantin Kokoshkin / Globallookpress.com
