Karzai: only Russia can help Afghanistan

Former President Hamid Karzai has said that Russia is the only force which can help Afghanistan fight terrorism.

In an interview with Russian news channel, the ex-president said, “I understand perfectly well that if you [Russia] build new relations with Pakistan and Afghanistan, you can help us. Not the Britons as we kicked them out of the country several times, not the Americans as they’ve been killing us for 17 years, but Russia only. We [Afghanistan] are the last barrier from terrorists. We’ve been fighting continuously for a century and a half.”

“Moscow has always helped us, even when its forces invaded Afghanistan at the invitation of then-president Babrak Karmal. We surely fought each other at those times, but you [Russia] used to build schools and hospitals in Afghanistan.”

He alleged: “Americans lie when they say that Al-Qaeda emerged as the result of your [Russia’s] invasion. They wanted to be the only superpower and they did it. The USSR collapsed and one of the reasons was the Afghan war.”

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Moscow keen to preserve the use of Russian helicopters by Afghan Air Force

Amid ongoing efforts to bolster the capabilities of the Afghan Air Force with the deployment of the US-made helicopter, the Russian officials have said Moscow is keen to preserve the use of the Russian helicopters by the Afghan Air Force.

Russian Presidential Aide for Military Cooperation Vladimir Kozhin has told the local media outlets that Moscow may find a way to ensure that Russian helicopters are used in Afghanistan to protect the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Kozhin has claimed that the Afghan Air Force is currently using the American-made helicopters due to the pressures by the western powers.

“All the methods and ways of anti-diplomatic pressure were employed to force Afghanistan into making this decision,” he was quoted as saying by TASS News.

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Karzai Backs Russia’s Military Support To Pakistan

Former president Hamid Karzai has supported the military assistance of Russia to Pakistan, saying that Moscow can give weapons to Islamabad same as the United States is providing arms to Afghanistan’s neighboring country.

Addressing the Raisina Dialogue 2018 in India, Karzai said Moscow and Islamabad relations are new.

“There are ninety times more US weapons in Pakistan than Russian weapons in Pakistan,” Karzai said. “Shouldn’t we first correct the US part? Ninety percent… When they do that we will go to Russia and ask them to stop their will.”

The former president said the US has failed in Afghanistan war because it gives more importance to Pakistan compared with Afghanistan.

“When I pressed the US delegation on Pakistan and their support to Pakistan and the continuity of extremism arriving from there to Afghanistan, the trouble that it cost to Afghanistan and the US mission in Afghanistan, suddenly vice president (Joe) Biden got up from his place and said look Mr. Karzai, Pakistan is fifty times more important for us than you Afghanistan. That is the relationship that we should focus on,” Karzai said.

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Russia deploys heavy military equipment on Afghanistan-Tajikistan border

The Russian military has deployed heavy military equipment along the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan apparently to prevent the threats posed by the terror groups to the Central Asian countries, it has been reported.

Chief of the Main Directorate of the International Military Cooperation at the Russian Defense Ministry, Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Kshimovsky on Tuesday informed regarding the deployment of the military equipment in support of the Tajikistan border forces.

He told the RT TV that the armaments will make it possible to expand the capabilities of Tajikistan’s armed forces “to repel the terrorist threat and create an effective barrier along the Tajik-Afghan border.”

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Afghan CE leaves for Russia, India

Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Thursday left Kabul for Russia and India.
During visit to Russia, Abdullah will attend the 16th meeting of the council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the black resort town of Sochi.

He will deliver a speech on regional cooperation, trade, counter-terrorism and peace, according to a statement from Abdullah’s office.

Abdullah, who leads a high-level government delegation, will also meet with prime ministers of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, secretary-general of SCO, and representatives from Iran, Belarus, Turkey, Azerbaijan and U.N. representative.

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Afghan official calls for U.S.-Russia partnership in terror fight

A senior Afghan official has called for the United States and Russia to partner with each other in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.

In an interview with 1TV, Mohammad Mohaqqiq, the Second Deputy of Chief Executive, said that the U.S. should attract Moscow’s cooperation on Afghanistan.

He warned that leaving out Russia could increase Moscow’s support for the Taliban militant group.

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Holding of the “Kabul Process” Preparation and Coordination Meeting

KABUL – The preparation and coordination meeting for the purpose of exploring the objectives and prospects of the “Kabul Process” meeting, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Hikmat Khalil Karzai and participated by Ambassadors and representatives of the friendly countries held this afternoon in the Storai Palace of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Kabul Process is going to be held on June 6, 2017 in Kabul.

According to decision of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the “Kabul Process” meeting will held in Kabul with participation of the Republic of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of India, Republic of Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, State of Qatar, United States of America, Kingdom of Great Britain, Federal Republic of Germany, Kingdom of Norway, Canada, United Nations Organization and the European Union to discuss on the peace, security and counterterrorism issues.

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Karzai: Afghanistan Would Be Used As Substrate to Shift Terrorism into Russia

The former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai in a special Interview with ArianaNews said US wants to use Afghanistan as substrate to shift terrorism into Russia.

He said, “US wants to expand terrorism into Russia by using Afghanistan as substrate.”

Further he went on and demanded the Afghan government to change its foreign relations with the countries that means US should accept its failure in Afghanistan and leave the country; Afghan government should choose Russia, China, India and Iran as allies for ending war in Afghanistan.

“National Unity Government (NUG) should hold clear stance against USA and have United States government to fulfill its commitments specially the exceed of Pakistan, help Afghanistan with reality, or else United States of America should sit aside, and leave us alone so that we could stabilize Afghanistan with the regional countries, Russia, China cooperation.” Former President Hamid Karzai said.

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Russia Ready to Help Afghanistan in Peace, Security

In a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani on Tuesday, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said his country is willing to cooperate with Afghanistan on a wide range of issues including economic cooperation and to boost Afghanistan’s fragile security climate.

“Russia and Afghanistan are old-time and close partners, and are interested in cooperation in security, humanitarian and economic areas,” Lavrov said.

“We support efforts of Afghanistan’s leadership in stabilizing the situation in the country and in the war on terror,” Russia’s TASS news agency quoted Lavrov on Tuesday as saying.

He said that Moscow is satisfied by the “level of political dialogue” with Afghanistan and cooperation in the United Nations, Lavrov said.

The Russian foreign minister also expressed condolences to the victims of avalanches in Afghanistan over the weakened.

Rabbani thanked Lavrov for offering condolences, noting that Afghanistan’s authorities are making every effort to reduce the aftermath of the disaster.

“This trip is important, we call for developing our relations. We have many topics for discussion, in particular, the fight against terrorism,” Rabbani said.

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Russia offers 485 scholarships to Afghans

Russia on Saturday offered 185 military and 300 civil education scholarships to Afghan students and reiterated continued support to Afghanistan.

The offer came at a meeting between Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Russian envoy Alexander Mantytskiy in Kabul.

Rabbani thanked Mantytskiy for his country’s support to Afghanistan, particularly in education and military sectors, the statement said.

The Russian ambassador assured of his country’s continued support to Afghanistan, particularly in promoting peace and building capacity of Afghanistan institutions and announced 185 military scholarships and 300 civil education scholarships for the Afghans.

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