The growing influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan has ambiguous consequences for this country's participation in the anti-terrorist activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
This was stated by Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Institute of Politics and International Relations at Lanzhou University, in an interview with TASS.
In his opinion, the restoration of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group and the possible accession of the Taliban to the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) faces a number of problems.
The Russian side, the expert notes, regards the Afghan issue as “a means in the new conditions of the game being played by the United States and Europe.” At the same time, Moscow is trying to encourage the Taliban to cooperate more closely with the SCO.
Zhu Yongbiao points out that the positions of the SCO member states on this issue may differ. Thus, Tajikistan may take a cautious position, while Russia, Iran and India will more actively advocate the inclusion of Afghanistan in the structure of the organization.
The expert admits that the possibility of Afghanistan's membership in the SCO and its joining the RATS exists, but it is relative. However, he expresses doubt that this will bring great positive effects.
According to Zhu Yongbiao, such a step could have negative consequences, affecting the countries of Central and South Asia, and cause concern in the international community.
To promote cooperation, according to the expert, now, perhaps, suitable conditions have not yet developed, and interaction with the Taliban should be carried out in the format of a small working group.
“I think that external circles of the public should not place too high hopes on the participation of the interim government of Afghanistan in the anti-terrorism activities of the SCO,” he emphasized. “The actual results may not be as encouraging as imagined.”
At the same time, Zhu Yongbiao believes that the SCO should interact with the Taliban.
“We cannot deny their significance and the truly urgent nature [of their participation in regional counterterrorism activities]. However, I personally do not have very optimistic expectations about the positive results that this cooperation can bring,” he concluded.
CentralаsianLIGHT.org
July 23, 2024