"We have tried to provide conditions for increasing the export of Afghan goods abroad and attracting foreign investment to Afghanistan. As you know, after the victory of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, the United States and Western countries have been exerting all kinds of pressure on us. Therefore, we expect the Russian Federation to help us neutralise this pressure," he said at a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.
Baradar assured that Afghanistan could be a reliable economic partner, highlighting the efforts of security forces to stabilise the country. He noted that as a result, the Islamic State (ISIS) had been defeated in the country and forced to relocate to other regions.
Russia aims to develop bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields, Shoigu said. In four rounds of talks with Afghanistan leadership, he discussed economic, transport and security issues.
"We aim to develop bilateral cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan in all spheres. I reaffirm my readiness to build a constructive political dialogue between our countries, including with a view to giving impetus to the process of settling the internal situation in Afghanistan," Shoigu stated, adding that Russia would help Afghanistan integrate into regional structures and associations.
The participation of Russian companies in projects in Afghanistan will include natural resource extraction and the development of the country's transport infrastructure, the secretary said.
On Monday, a large Russian delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, held meetings with Afghan officials: Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Abdul Kabir, Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, Defence Minister Mohammed Yaqub, and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.
* under UN sanctions