May 28, 2024
1 min read

Russia invites Taliban to top economic forum in June

Some questions remain, Kabulov was quoted as saying, though he said that an invitation to attend the June 5-8 St Petersburg international economic forum had been extended to the Taliban…reports Asian Lite News

Russia has invited Afghanistan’s Taliban to its biggest annual economic forum as Moscow moves to remove a ban on the Islamist movement, a senior Russian diplomat was quoted as saying on Monday.

Since the Taliban seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war, Russia has been slowly building ties with the Taliban, though the movement is still officially outlawed in Russia.

Russia’s foreign and justice ministries have reported to President Vladimir Putin on the issue of removing the ban, Zamir Kabulov, director of the Second Asia Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, told state news agency TASS.

Some questions remain, Kabulov was quoted as saying, though he said that an invitation to attend the June 5-8 St Petersburg international economic forum had been extended to the Taliban.

The St Petersburg forum, which once hosted Western CEOs and investment bankers from London and New York, has changed significantly amid the Ukraine war which has triggered the biggest crisis in Russia’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Western investors seeking a slice of Russia’s vast resource wealth have now been replaced by businesses from China, India, Africa and the Middle East.

The Taliban, which means “students” in the Pashto language, emerged in 1994 around the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. It was one of the factions fighting a civil war for control of the country following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of the government.

It originally drew members from so-called “mujahideen” fighters who, with support from the United States, repelled Soviet forces in the 1980s.

In 2003, Russia formally labelled the Taliban a terrorist organisation, though it had periodic informal contacts with the movement.

ALSO READ-Kremlin says NATO in direct conflict with Russia

Previous Story

Netanyahu calls Israeli strike on Rafah ‘tragic mistake’

Next Story

UN refugee agency says attacks on Rafah ‘horrifying’

Latest from -Top News

PM Modi in Namibia for Landmark Visit

PM Modi Arrives in Namibia for First Official Visit…reports Asian Lite News Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Windhoek on Wednesday, beginning his maiden official visit to the southern African nation

Modi Meets Lula, Eyes Closer Ties

Modi said that both India and Brazil place a high priority on the environment and clean energy….reports Asian Lite News Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Afghan Food Crisis Worsens

Afghanistan continues to top the list of countries drawing global humanitarian concern following recent political changes…reports Asian Lite News The World Food Programme has sounded a fresh alarm over Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian

Global Fury Over Trump’s Tariffs

Ramaphosa pushed back against the justification for the tariff, challenging the interpretation of trade data and pointing to discrepancies in the figures cited….reports Asian Lite News South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘Russia Won’t Remove Taliban From Banned Groups List’

This comes after Kazakhstan decided to remove the Taliban from

Ghani calls for ceasefire during Ramadan

“Once again I am calling upon the Taliban to give