MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov rules out the possibility of a Taliban counter-offensive in Afghanistan and seizure of Kabul.
"There are no threats that the Taliban regime will make a counter-offensive and will attempt to seize Kabul and there is no ground to think this," Ivanov told reporters in Moscow.
"According to our information, the situation in Kabul is fairly quiet and predictable," the minister said. "Therefore, it will just take time to begin economic and humanitarian activities and to provide all kinds of assistance to the lawful government of Afghanistan," Ivanov said.
"Russia intends to take an active part in the political processes connected with the negotiations on the future political system of Afghanistan," Ivanov said.
"The future government of Afghanistan should be a coalition of all nationalities and ethnicities living on the territory of this state without any discrimination, with only one exception, discrimination against the Taliban. I am ready to confirm this once again," Ivanov said.
"In general, the situation in Central Asia is quiet and predictable and much better than it was half a year ago," he said.
"In this sense, I think the [CIS] collective rapid reaction force played a positive role," the minister said.