By interaction desk
Gloves are off, finally, and Russian fist is roughly pushing back US from the region. No more niceties, please. Only Lavrov can pull it off with such aplomb & poker face! Central Asian states are wary of US-sponsored colour revolutions & ‘regime change’ agenda toward ex-Soviet republics. Nor do they want to get entangled in US shenanigans to destabilize the region bordering Russia and China by manipulating ISIS! Delhi should take note. All of Russia’s Central Asian allies and neighbors are unwilling to have the armed forces of the United States or any other NATO member state stationed on their soil, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. Asked at a news conference about Washington’s intentions of deploying anti-terrorism forces on the territory of Uzbekistan, Lavrov stated, “All our Central Asian neighbors, allies and strategic partners confirm in talks with us that they find such approaches to be inadmissible”, TASS reported.
“I did not hear about this issue and perhaps this question should be addressed to our colleagues in Uzbekistan,” he continued, adding, “I should reiterate that all our friends in Central Asia are telling us that they are against such approaches either from the United States or from any other NATO member state.” The Wall Street Journal reported earlier citing its unnamed sources that Moscow and Washington were allegedly in talks discussing the possible use of Russian military bases in Central Asia by American troops. However, during a meeting in Moscow on October 12 with US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov pointed out that Russia was against Washington’s military presence in Central Asia. ‘The Moscow format was established in 2017 on the basis of a six-party consultation mechanism of the special envoys of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and Pakistan.’ From Russia with Love! Moscow offers lifeline to Delhi to climb out of the foxhole – and shake hands with Taliban FM Amir Khan Muttaqi, the rising star in Kabul .
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that contacts on Afghanistan are being prepared in Moscow, referring questions about further details to the Russian Foreign Ministry. “The Foreign Ministry is working on this issue, this is where these questions belong,” the Kremlin spokesman said on Thursday, commenting on the upcoming contacts with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia).”The consultations on Afghanistan are currently under preparation,” Peskov noted. Earlier, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Russia was expecting a representative delegation of the Taliban to take part in the third Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan. The consultations are scheduled for October 19 and 20, 2021. The Moscow format was established in 2017 on the basis of a six-party consultation mechanism of the special envoys of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and Pakistan.