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Putin Throws Weight Behind Rabbani
Russian President Vladimir Putin threw his weight behind deposed Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani on Monday, promising to provide military and other support to the "legitimate" government.
Putin, who arrived in Dushanbe overnight, signed a joint statement early Monday with his host, Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmonov, and Rabbani on "the need to find a political solution in Afghanistan".
"All the ethnic groups should take part in forming the next Afghan government," and that process should involve a stronger role for the United Nations "and all foreign governments," the three signatories said in the statement read out to reporters by a Tajik spokesman.
In a later press conference Putin, who arrived in the Tajik capital overnight, said: "Russia has long supported the legitimate government of Afghanistan and confirms its desire to offer it military, technical and humanitarian support".
Also attending the press conference was General Mohammad Quassim Fahim, military chief of the Afghan opposition Northern Alliance which has been bolstered by the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan in its fight against the hardline Taleban regime.
"Russia's goal in this region is... to allow the return of civilian life (in Afghanistan) and to help install a state which is friendly towards its neighbours and Russia," Putin said.
"The Afghan government (in exile) wants to broaden," the support it enjoys among all the ethnic groups in the country and "that's the right direction" he added.
At the same time the Russian leader ruled out participation, in any future government, of the Taliban "who are linked with international terrorists".
Rabbani was deposed by the Taliban in 1996 but is still recognised as Afghanistan's president by the United Nations and most states.
His forces in the opposition Northern Alliance still hold the northeastern part of the country.
The joint statement by Moscow, Dushanbe and the Afghan government-in-exile announced that "permanent consultations" would follow "at the highest level" in the bid to find "a political solution in Afghanistan".
The three parties stressed the need "to deliver up the organisers of the terrorist attacks on November 11," in the United States, "who have found refuge with the Taliban".
Tajikistan, which has a 1,200-kilometre (800-mile) border with Afghanistan, is a key base for the anti-Taliban opposition.
Putin, accompanied by a large delegation of Russian ministers and military officers arrived here from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Shanghai.
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