Russia is likely to obstruct the process of removing Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s name from the UN sanctions list, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report stated Tuesday.
 
Quoting Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova the report stated that Russia has put the delisting on hold but hadn’t blocked it.   
 
She did not give reasons to why Russia needed more time, WSJ reported.  
 
Russia is one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
 
Last week, France, another permanent member of the UN Security Council, opposed the removal of Hekmatyar’s name.
 
However, there are concerns that the Russian move could further complicate the Afghan peace talks process.
 
But, what objectives the Russians follow by taking such a step?
 
“Considering the fact that they owe our nation ethically, politically and humanely, and also considering the fact that the destruction of Afghanistan goes back to the wrong policies of the former USSR, we hope that the Russians compensate that human tragedy instead of creating another tragedy and crisis,” former National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief Amrullah Saleh said.
 
“This issue is a matter of deadline for Russia. We cannot expect any special concern in this respect,” said Hamid Azizi, a spokesman for Hizb-e-Islami.
 
Russia’s latest move comes in the wake of a recent trilateral meeting, between Russia, China and Pakistan in Moscow, which was on Afghanistan. However, Afghanistan was not included in the talks.
 
“Any kind of contact with these groups without the interest of Afghans and without consultation with them, is a violation of the sacrifices which we have given over the past years in way of defending Afghanistan and fighting international terrorism,” said Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for Interior Ministry.
 
The Afghan government and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar led Hizb-e-Islami signed a peace accord in September, effectively ending years of insurgency by the militant group.
 
One of the conditions attached to the agreement was that Hekmatyar’s name be removed from the UN sactions list. Kabul subsequently sent a letter to this effect to the UN Security Council.