London. July 14. INTERFAX-The UK will work with representatives of the Taliban movement (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) if they enter the government of Afghanistan, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace said in an interview with The Telegraph newspaper.
"Whatever the government is, as long as it adheres to certain international norms, the UK government will interact with it," Wallace said.
At the same time, the head of the British Defense Ministry admitted that the prospect of cooperation with the Taliban would cause a mixed reaction. But, in his opinion, pragmatism can become the basis for a lasting peace.
"All peace processes require that you come to an agreement with the enemy," he said.
"What (the Taliban) desperately wants is international recognition. They need to unlock funding and support for nation-building, but this cannot be done with the mask of a terrorist, " the Defense minister stressed.
"You must be a partner for peace, otherwise you risk being isolated," he added.
According to him, the poverty of the people of Afghanistan is an important problem that cannot be dealt with while being isolated.
"When you are one of the poorest nations on earth, you need the help of the international community," Wallace said.
The British Defense Minister called on the Taliban and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to work together to ensure stability in the country after decades of conflict.
"Now is the time for both of them to show leadership and unite Afghanistan," he concluded.
Earlier it was reported that a delegation of Afghan politicians will go to Doha to hold talks with members of the Taliban movement (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation).
According to Tolo News, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Afghanistan for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, and former President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday that the parties are expected to take important steps during the negotiations that will take place in the coming days.
According to the TV channel, the former president stressed that the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban should not miss the opportunity for a truce.
Negotiations between the parties took place last week in Tehran. As reported, they ended with the adoption of a joint declaration. The document emphasizes that " both sides agreed on a common understanding of the danger of continuing the war and the damage that it can cause to the country."
The meeting took place against the background of a significant increase in tension in Afghanistan, where the Taliban continue offensive operations, establishing control over entire areas. At the same time, the United States continues to withdraw its contingent from the country.
Initially, it was planned that the withdrawal of US forces would be completed by September 11, 2021. Then it turned out that this process is going faster than expected, and therefore it can be completed in August.
