BEIJING. April 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The situation in Afghanistan keeps deteriorating, and Washington's policy is prompting an acceleration of terrorist activity in the country's north, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a conference of the defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing on Tuesday.
"Afghanistan is another conflict zone in the Middle East. The situation keeps deteriorating. The United States and NATO have failed to achieve normalization over more than 15 years of their presence in this Islamic republic," Shoigu said.
"In fact, they are trying to entrench in that country by hook or by crook in order to enhance their influence on countries of the Central Asian region. Besides, Washington's policy is actually prompting an acceleration of terrorist activity in northern Afghanistan," Shoigu said.
Afghanistan "has seen a rise in drug trafficking, which funds criminal activity of terrorists," he said.
"The strengthening position of ISIL (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) fighters in Afghanistan causes a particular concern; their numbers have reached 4,500 people," Shoigu said.
"There is no way to end the Afghan conflict on the battlefield. Its settlement will require new, unusual approaches," he said.
"The potential of all regional countries and international organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), should be put to use," he said.
"The joint efforts should focus on the creation of a law-governed state and relevant power institutes," Shoigu said.