Russia: SCO security bloc should spur Afghanistan's Taliban rulers

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that a security bloc led by Moscow and Beijing should take the lead in ensuring the Taliban keep its promises on preventing terrorism and drug trafficking.

The Kremlin chief on Friday said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should "use its potential" to "stimulate the new Afghan authorities" in fulfilling their promises on normalising life and bringing security in Afghanistan.

He was speaking via video link at a summit of the eight-member SCO held in Afghanistan's neighbour Tajikistan.

Countries allied with Russia and China are holding a series of meetings in the Central Asian state this week.

Moscow has been cautiously optimistic on the Taliban since it came to power last month after a series of lightning offensives across Afghanistan.

READ MORE: What’s Russia’s strategy in Afghanistan?

Nevertheless, the Kremlin has said it is in no hurry to recognise Afghanistan's new authorities, calling on the Taliban to curb drug-trafficking and fight against extremist groups.

Moscow and Beijing have moved to assert themselves as key players in the region, after the United States' hasty retreat from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country after the Washington-backed government collapsed. 

Russia needs to work with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Putin said, adding Russia supported a UN conference on Afghanistan and that world powers should consider unfreezing Afghanistan's assets.

READ MORE: Russia's Central Asian allies say they won't host fleeing Afghan refugees

Xi urges moderate policies in Afghanistan

China's President Xi Jinping urged "relevant parties" in Afghanistan to eradicate terrorism and promised to provide more help to the war-torn nation, state news agency Xinhua said.

Afghanistan should be guided to be more open and inclusive, and pursue moderate domestic and foreign policies, Xi told a meeting of leaders of the SCO, the agency said in a report.

"Certain countries" should assume their due responsibilities for Afghanistan's future development as "instigators" of the situation, Xi added, in an apparent reference to the United States and its allies.

China, which has pledged aid and Covid-19 vaccine doses to Afghanistan, has said the United States and its allies have a duty to supply the war-torn nation with economic and humanitarian aid.

Other founding members of the SCO are former Soviet Central Asian states Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 

India and Pakistan joined the bloc in 2017.