Russia is not ready to recognize the Taliban for now, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, adding Moscow will work with other countries to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The promise of humanitarian aid and economic support came after officials of Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani held talks on Tuesday in Moscow. 

There is also another meeting planned on Wednesday where representatives of other countries, including India, and the Taliban will take part. 

Lavrov on Tuesday said Russia was withholding recognition from the Taliban while waiting for them to fulfill promises they made when they took power, including on the political and ethnic inclusivity of the new government.

“Official recognition of the Taliban is not under discussion for now,” Lavrov told reporters. “Like most of the other influential countries in the region, we are in contact with them. We are prodding them to fulfill the promises they made when they came to power,” he added. 

Speaking to TASS news agency, Taliban Deputy Minister for Information and Culture Zabiullah Mujahid said they would seek economic and political support from the countries participating in Russian-led talks on Wednesday. 

"We will ask the countries participating in the Moscow conference, our neighbors, to provide assistance to us, especially in the economic and political-and-diplomatic spheres, so that the countries could demonstrate responsibility and help Afghanistan," he said, adding that the country’s economy "needs further support.

Mujahid stressed that Afghanistan was “playing an important role in the region’s security and stability" and the Taliban delegation planned to discuss corresponding matters in Moscow.

"Naturally, the conference will focus on economic and political issues, as well as on the problems of security in the region and in Afghanistan," Mujahid said.

The delegation, headed by Taliban’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, also includes Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other senior ministers.

The Moscow format was established in 2017 on the basis of the six-lateral mechanism of consultations between Russian, Afghan, Indian, Iranian, Chinese, and Pakistani special envoys.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on 15 August, toppling the US-backed Afghan government.

(SAM)