Putin, Erdogan call for stability, peace in Afghanistan

MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan focused on the Afghanistan crisis in a phone call, emphasizing the significance of ensuring stability and civil peace in that country and prioritizing solutions to the war on terror and drug trafficking, the Kremlin said in a statement on Saturday. "They had an in-depth discussion on the situation around Afghanistan. They noted the importance of ensuring stability and civil peace in that country, strict compliance with the rule of law and order. An emphasis was placed on priority in the tasks of combating terrorism and drug trafficking. The president agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination on Afghan issues," the statement says. Additionally, Putin and Erdogan touched upon bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. "They touched upon trade and economic cooperation, primarily in the energy sector," the statement says. The two presidents agreed further personal contacts, the Kremlin added. On August 15, the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) swept into Kabul, meeting no resistance and taking complete control of the Afghan capital within hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced he was leaving the country to avoid bloodshed. Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he becomes "the caretaker president" in absence of president and called for armed resistance against the Taliban. Western nations are evacuating their citizens and diplomatic missions. On February 14, 2003, Russia’s Supreme Court handed down a ruling declaring the Taliban to be a terrorist organization, which is outlawed in Russia. Read more