US, Russia hold 'intensive contacts' on war-torn Afghan & nuclear program in Iran

Amid the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, a top official in Russia has said that Washington and Moscow are actively discussing the crisis in the war-torn nation. According to Sputnik, Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, on Saturday, 27 November, informed that the two nations have “intensive contacts” on Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea and on Iranian nuclear program. “All these contacts are positive,” Antonov said during a live YouTube show. 

It is to mention that Russia's remarks come amid a time when Afghanistan is facing a severe financial crisis with the death rate of children rapidly surging due to malnutrition. The economic crisis is also looming on the Taliban-ruled nation, while the US has frozen nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation. The Taliban, on the other hand, has been urging the international community to unfreeze the assets. 

Afghanistan's economic, humanitarian crisis 

Earlier this month, Afghan-Taliban’s Foreign Minister had said that the US was no longer engaged in a war with Afghanistan and that freezing the Afghan assets lacked “logical” justification. Taliban had also sent a letter to the US Congress, urging lawmakers to free the Afghan assets citing the intense economic and humanitarian crisis. The Taliban regime said that it is concerned that if the current situation prevails, the interim government in Afghanistan and the citizens will face problems and will become a cause for mass mitigation in the region and world which will consequently create further humanitarian and economic issues for the globe. 

However, in response to the letter, US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said that the Taliban regime “misconstrued” facts regarding the country’s humanitarian crisis. In a series of tweets, West said that the insurgents will have to earn legitimacy and support by actions to address terrorism, establish an inclusive government and respect the rights of minorities, women and girls. West went on to assert that the US will continue to support the Afghan people with humanitarian aid, adding that America has already provided $474 million this year. 

It is to be noted that the international community, including global financial organisations like World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), have refused to accept the all-male caretaker government of the Islamic Emirati after it was formed on September 8. The global leaders have vehemently condemned the lack of reflection of the "Afghan society" in the outfit-led cabinet of Afghanistan. This has also led to a halt in the disbursement of vital aids to the war-torn nation thus pushing it to the brink of "universal poverty."

(Image: AP/ANI)