Russia Made No Decision To Join Peacekeeping Operation In Afghanistan

Russia made no decision to participate in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told a press conference in Moscow. According to Ivanov, Russians are currently taking part in the humanitarian relief operation for Afghanistan. "Naturally, there are units in Afghanistan whose task is to secure their safety," he stressed. The provisional Afghan administration that was formed at the four-sided inter-Afghan conference in Bonn has asked the United Nations for a military contingent that could ensure security in Afghanistan, said the minister, adding that the UN Security Council was expected to consider the mandate of such forces in the near future. In the meantime, some countries have officially announced themselves ready to send peacekeepers to Afghanistan as soon as the Security Council adopts appropriate mandate and resolution. "But Russia made no decision to participate in this," stressed Ivanov.