Lavrov to take part in London conference on Afghanistan.

LONDON, January 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov who is staying on a visit in the British capital will on Thursday
take part in an international conference on Afghanistan.
The forum is supposed to "fix the basic principles of relations of the
world community with Kabul for a period of preparation for the withdrawal
of foreign military contingents from the Afghan territory and gradual
acquisition by the local authorities of independence in making decisions
on key issues of military-political stabilisation and socio-economic
development," the Russian Foreign Ministry press and information
department said.
The Russian side supports the idea that power will be handed over to
the Afghan people but it believes that the implementation of the United
Nations Security Council mandate should be the main condition for the
withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. It means the creation
of battle-worthy and self-sufficient local army and police forces that
will be able to maintain law and order and effectively counteract
terrorism and drug trafficking.
"Russia is against the eternal presence of foreign forces in
Afghanistan. It wants this country to be independent, peaceful and with
developed economy," a diplomatic source told Itar-Tass.
The Russian side favours Afghanistan's return to a neutral status
after an active phase of an operation carried out by foreign military
contingents, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
As for the re-integration of the Taliban fighters into the Afghan
society, Moscow believes that an amnesty should be granted to militants
only if they lay down arms, accept the Afghan constitution, recognize the
government of Afghanistan and severe all links with Al-Quaeda and other
terrorist groups.
The Russian delegation will try to convince coalition allies in the
need to intensify struggle against the drugs threat coming from
Afghanistan.
"Moscow regards this factor as a serious threat to national security,"
the diplomatic source told Itar-Tass.
"This is a very important issue for Russia because the level of
consumption of Afghan opiates in Russia can only be compared to Europe,"
the source went on to say.
"We believe that the International Security Assistance Force in
Afghanistan (SAF) are paying insufficient attention to this fact. The drug
threat should be fought on all fronts, including the liquidation of opium
popper fields, the production and processing facilities and storages, and
should go father than just arresting drug dealers and intercepting drug
caravans," the source went on to say.
The Russian side believes that the United States could use its Latin
American experience in fighting the drugs business in Afghanistan. It's
also planning to invite its allies to participate in anti-drug efforts
carried out within the framework of an operation code-named Channel of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization.
International assistance to the socio-economic development of
Afghanistan will be another vital topic for discussion. "Russia is ready
to continue rendering diverse assistance. We think it's going to be
expedient if Russia finances the restoration by our experts of
infrastructure facilities that were built in Soviet days," the diplomatic
source went on to say.
"The talk is about the Salang Tunnel, the Nangarhar irrigation
complex, a nitrogen fertilizers plant and a thermal power station in the
town of Mazari-Sharif as well as an integrated home-building factory and
an oil and gas complex in the country's north," the source explained,
adding there were about 140 such facilities in Afghanistan and they were
of the key importance to the Afghan economy.
Moscow may also consider a possibility of arms supplies to Afghanistan
although no such requests have come from NATO as of yet.
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