Russia raises Afghan diplomatic representation in Moscow to ambassadorial level

ISTANBUL

Russia said on Wednesday that it raised Afghanistan’s diplomatic representation in the country to the ambassadorial level, as Moscow suspended its ban on the activities of the Taliban in a decision made last week.

The decision was conveyed during a meeting between Russian officials and Afghanistan's interim foreign and interior ministers, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The Russian side was represented by Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan, and Dmitry Zhirnov, Moscow’s ambassador to Kabul, it said.

“Afghan leaders expressed deep gratitude for this step, which demonstrates our country’s sincere and principled commitment to establishing a full-fledged partnership,” the statement added.

It said the officials also discussed other current issues concerning the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Last Thursday, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended the country's ban on the activities of the Taliban, which was included in Moscow’s list of banned terrorist organizations back in 2003.

The move came as Russian lawmakers voted in December last year to adopt a bill on introducing a mechanism to suspend bans on the activities of terror groups.

While the bill did not mention any specific group, Leonid Slutsky, leader of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters following the bill's submission that the mechanism aims to ensure legal interaction between Russia and the Taliban.

After nearly two decades of fighting US-led coalition forces, the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan in August 2021.