Afghanistan’s interim foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said that his government was ready to facilitate the transit of Russian goods to the markets of South Asia, according to a statement from Afghan foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday.
Muttaqi made the remarks during a meeting with Zamir Kabulov, the Russian Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan is ready to play a positive role in the transportation of Russian goods to south Asia after the reconstruction of the Salang highway,” said Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the foreign ministry spokesman, quoting Muttaqi as saying in the meeting.
Since coming to power in August 2021, the Taliban government has reportedly engaged contractors for the repair and reconstruction of the 80 kilometre-long Salang Road project.
Once fully operational, the route is expected to bolster trade between Central Asia and South Asia through Afghanistan.
Balkhi said that ways to bolster trade ties and other issues were discussed during the meeting. Muttaqi expressed hope that the trade relations between the two countries would continue to expand in coming days.
Moscow Asks US to Release Frozen Funds
During the meeting, the Russian Presidential Envoy reiterated Moscow’s appeal to the US to release frozen Afghan assets to the tune of billions of dollars which are held in western financial institutions.
He said that these released funds could contribute to Afghanistan’s economic development, according to a readout of the meeting by the Afghan foreign ministry.
Kabulov noted during the meeting that several countries in the region had in recent months taken steps to expand engagement with the Taliban authorities.
The Taliban authorities said this month that China had formally accredited its ambassador to Beijing, the first by any country since the Islamic group re-gained power in Kabul in August 2021.
The Russian special envoy, however, decried efforts by countries outside the region for creating problems in efforts of the Taliban to step up its diplomatic engagements.
Kabulov also stated that Moscow was ready to expand trade ties with Afghanistan and said that Afghan businessmen could travel to Russia to discuss business opportunities.
*under UN sanctions