Russia becomes the first country to formally recognize the Taliban

Russia has become the first country to formally recognize the government of the Taliban in Afghanistan, since it seized power in 2021 after Moscow withdrew to the group of its list of prohibited organizations.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday that it had received credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan of Afghanistan. The official recognition of the Afghan government will encourage “productive bilateral cooperation,” said the ministry in a statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan described him as a “historical step”, and cited the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban, Amir Khan Muttaqi, as welcome to the decision as “a good example for other countries.”

“We believe that Russia’s movement is a positive message for the rest of the world … we believe that some Muslim and regional countries can do the same,” said the spokesman for the Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid to News themezone.

China welcomed Russia’s decision on Friday. “As a traditional friendly neighbor from Afghanistan, the Chinese side has always believed that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community,” said the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao NO.

“It doesn’t matter how the internal or external situation in Afghanistan changes, diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan have never been interrupted,” he said.

A former Senior Taliban official told Sami Yousafzai of News themezone on Friday that although the group’s leadership would undoubtedly welcome Russian and Chinese support, there was a recognition that “Russia and China cannot support us financially as the Americans did.”

For two decades of government backed by the United States in Afghanistan, there was a constant flow of billions of dollars in the country, helping to pay everything, from police and hospitals to schools and weapons for the military and the police. Since the Taliban resumed power in the summer of 2021, that financial support of the United States and its allies has been exhausted practically.

“Only the United States and its allies can provide real relief, if they choose,” said former Taliban official to Yousafzai. “We know it.”

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. Since then, they have sought international recognition while enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Although no country had formally recognized the Taliban administration so far, the group had participated in high -level conversations with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries such as China and the United Arab Emirates.

Even so, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely on its restrictions on women.

Although the Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule that during their first period in the power from 1996 to 2001, began to impose restrictions on women and girls shortly after the acquisition of 2021. Women are prohibited from most works and public places, including parks, bathrooms and gyms, while girls are prohibited from education beyond sixth grade.

Russian officials have recently emphasized the need to commit to the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan, and raised a prohibition of the Taliban in April.

The Ambassador of Russia in Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, said in comments transmitted by the state channel one television that the decision to officially recognize the Taliban government was taken by President Vladimir Putin for advice from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.

Zhirnov said the decision shows that Russia’s “sincere effort for the development of complete relations with Afghanistan.”

On Friday, the Taliban eliminated the tricolor flag of the Republic of the Embassy building in Moscow and replaced it with its white flag, which caused reactions of the former officials of the Republic.

“An authoritarian regime that recognizes another”

“The recognition of Russia of the Talibanes marks a turning point. Legitimate a regime that prohibits the girls of education, enforces public scourges and shelters not sanctioned by terrorists,” Mariam Solaimankhail, a former member of the Afghanistan Parliament during the Government of the Republic, wrote on social networks. “The movement indicates that strategic interests will always exceed human rights and international law.”

Naseer A. Faiq, the Charge d’Affires of the permanent Afghan mission to the United Nations, said: “The recognition of the Taliban by the countries that have supported them in the last twenty years is not surprising. But the main question is whether this recognition will have an impact on the political, economic, social and humanitarian situation in Afghans in Afghans and their people, who is the lack of wells?

“The answer is clear: this political movement is apparently in the interest of the Taliban, but their long -term negative effects on the Afghan people will be much greater.”

Torek Farhadi, a veteran geopolitical analyst, believes that Russia is interested in rare earth minerals in Afghanistan. He said that the recognition of Moscow of the Taliban makes possible financial investment for the Russian defense industry in the region.

“Afghanistan has mines and rare earth deposits and Moscow has Soviet day assignments,” Farhadi told News themezone. “Moscow officially recognizes the Taliban, opens the door to investments as the rare land becomes key to the automotive industry and the defense industry. Moscow is interested in this place before someone else returns to Afghanistan for such investments.”

Mohammad Halim Fidai, former provincial governor and civil society activist in exile in Germany, told News themezone, “by supporting the Taliban regime, Russia has not only violated international norms, but has also undermined global consensus against the recognition of a government with a deeply worrying human rights record.”

“This movement runs the risk of marginalizing Russia even the Taliban on the world stage.”

“In addition, it exposes the defective assumptions of some in the West that the Taliban had reformed and respect the basic rights. Ultimately, this support reflects a broader trend of authoritarian solidarity, an authoritarian regime that recognizes another.”

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