Afghan Foreign Minister Holds Talks In Moscow

Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta in Kabul in May (epa) October 6, 2006 -- Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta today met in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Addressing reporters at the start of the meeting, Lavrov said he viewed Spanta's visit "as a continuation of the political dialogue" between Moscow and Kabul.


Lavrov also said that his country attaches great importance to the security situation in Afghanistan. He confirmed that Russia would soon start training Afghan antinarcotics police officers.


In an interview with the afghanistan.ru website, Spanta says today the Afghan government favors closer ties with Moscow.


He also says Russia is ready to write off Afghanistan's Soviet-era external debt and that he expects this issue to be settled soon within the framework of the Paris Club.


Afghanistan.ru reported that Higher Education Minister Ahzam Dadfar is also in Russia for talks.


(ITAR-TASS, RIA Novosti, afghanistan.ru)

RFE/RL Afghanistan Report

RFE/RL Afghanistan Report


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