SOCHI. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The intention of the Taliban (group banned in Russia) to form a government on the basis of broad representation has not yet been disproved, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
"We hear the statements from the Taliban, which we fully encourage, that they have no intention to usurp power, that they want to make an inclusive government, as they say, that they have no such plans, and furthermore, that they won't cause problems to their neighbors, including Central Asian countries, that they have no plans to invade them, and that they will combat any terrorists who are still remaining in Afghanistan," Lavrov said, speaking during the All Russia 2021 forum of modern journalism.
"Nothing has disproved this intention yet," Lavrov said.
Lavrov has noted that there is no reason "to see a real threat of these troubling events spilling over to" Russia's neighbors.
"But we're doing everything to stand ready for such a situation," he said.
Many conferences on settling the Afghanistan situation are taking place, he went on to say.
"Our colleagues are now proposing a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council five permanent members on Afghanistan. [...] We're keeping on the table our proposal on the resumption of our work in the Moscow format, which includes all Central Asian states, Iran, Pakistan, China, India, Russia and the U.S.," Lavrov said.