VIENNA. Sept 7 (Interfax) - Dialogue with the Taliban (banned in Russia), who have come to power in Afghanistan, is necessary in any case, as ways to minimize the severe humanitarian catastrophe in that country need to be considered, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.
"Anyway, it's necessary to establish dialogue and to think about what will happen to people there," Matviyenko told reporters on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Vienna on Tuesday.
"In my opinion, the timing of recognition is a secondary matter. Today, Afghanistan is experiencing a severe humanitarian catastrophe, and the entire global community, especially the countries responsible, should focus on what humanitarian aid, assistance they can provide to people and how to rescue people, women, children," she said.
The first and highest-priority item on the agenda is "minimizing the consequences of this severe humanitarian catastrophe," Matviyenko said.
"As to recognition [of the Taliban as the authorities], colleagues, this is what's happened in Afghanistan: after 20 years of the presence of the United States and NATO, the regime collapsed overnight... The Taliban have come - that's a fact, and this fact cannot be denied," she said.
Everyone is closely watching what the Taliban will do, "what kind of government will be formed, and whether their promise to form a coalition government representing all ethnic groups, all peoples, and all groups will be kept to finally put an end to the civil war and confrontation and start living a peaceful life in Afghanistan," Matviyenko said.
Matviyenko described the current situation in Afghanistan as extremely dire.