Russia, US share understanding of struggle with terrorism in Afghanistan - opinion

MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. Russia and the U.S. share the understanding of counteraction to terrorism in Afghanistan and what needs a discussion is the approaches to Taliban, Cameron Munter, the CEO and President of the EastWest Institute told TASS on Monday. "I think that in a fundamental way […] both countries want to see an orderly Afghanistan, at peace with its neighbors," he said. "It is important, for example, for Russia that Afghanistan has good relations with the Central Asian countries whereas for the USA it is important that Afghanistan has stable relations with its South Asian neighbors, and in fact it matters for both countries." He also said Russia and the U.S. shared the vision of the steps to be taken in struggle with terrorism. "I think both sides would agree that the Islamic State is a threat to both countries and both countries have to address that question," Munter said. "There is a different kind of story, I think, in relationship to the Taliban and now there is an open and frank discussion about the nature of the Taliban and its future. It is something that is useful for Americans and the Russians to deal with." The spelling out of criteria for treatment of Taliban will be one of the tasks for a Russian-American workgroup the EastWest Institute is setting up at the moment, he said. "[…] what we are trying to figure out is in which way do we agree about behavior that is unacceptable-that is blowing up women and children in Kabuli, in which way do we figure out that there are solutions to the conflict in Afghanistan that might involve the Taliban, talks with the Taliban, even Taliban participation in solutions to the problems there," Munter said. "There are many difficult issues that are very much worth talking about and simply to say that the Taliban is good or the Taliban is bad," he said. "I think this is not really the answer." Read more