Moscow interested in revival of Afghanistan

Russia is interested in revival of a peaceful, independent, prosperous and friendly Afghanistan living in accord with its neighbours and with the international community as a whole. It will be the keynote of the meetings of the Russian leadership with Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Transitional Authority of Afghanistan (TAA) Dr. Abdullah Abdullo who arrived in Moscow at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Igor Ivanov.

As spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Yakovenko noted the day before in the interview given to RIA Novosti, Russia in every way supports the TAA headed by Hamid Karzai. He stressed that, in doing so, Moscow hopes that the TAA with the assistance of the world community will create necessary prerequisites for a rise of the economy and development of the social sphere, formation of the national armed forces and law-enforcement bodies, and establishment of central power's full control over the country.

For his part, as Afghan diplomatic sources told RIA Novosti, the head of the Afghan diplomatic agency intends to discuss in Moscow the questions of Russia's participation in the implementation of the UN programme of economic and state development of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is objectively interested in more active participation of Russia in its economic, cultural and state postwar rehabilitation, the interlocutors noted.

By RIA Novosti's information, the programme of the visit of Dr. Abdullah Abdullo to Moscow includes meetings on November 29 with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Igor Ivanov, secretary of the Security Council Vladimir Rushailo, chairman of the State Duma Gennady Seleznev, and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Primakov.

The Transitional Authority headed by Hamid Karzai was instated at the transitional Loya Jirga last June for a period of not more 18 months, in keeping with the Bonn accords. During this time the Transitional Authority must prepare necessary conditions for holding at the fixed time general elections - Loya Jirga at which the constitution of Afghanistan will be adopted and its state system will be established.