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Russia ‘Competing’ For Influence In Afghanistan: Votel

US Gen. Joseph L Votel, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), says that Russia is following a strategy to compete with the United States around the world, including Afghanistan. 

Votel said in an interview with VOA on Thursday that Moscow and Tehran are trying to increase their influence in Afghanistan. 

VOA reported that Moscow was posturing to be a "player in the solution" to the decades-long conflict.

"I think what they [Russia] are doing trying to do is they are pursuing a strategy which is to compete with us by trying to exert their influence wherever they can, whether it is in Afghanistan or Syria or anywhere else," Votel said.

"They are continuing to use disinformation to create the narrative that they want," Votel said.

"They continue to perpetuate this idea, not just in Afghanistan, but in Iraq and Syria as well, that the United States is responsible for supporting and propagating ISIS (Daesh)."

Votel said the notion that the United States was somehow promoting Daesh was "ridiculous."

VOA reported that Votel also discussed Iran’s influence in the country, stating Russia was not the only nation seeking influence in Afghanistan.

Votel said the Iranians have "hedged their bets" in Afghanistan, by trying to have relationships with both the Afghan government and the Taliban, reported VOA.

He said that unlike Russia, Iran is more concerned about its own stability.

"They [Iranian leaders] don't have any, obviously, any love for us [the U.S.] here, but I do think Iran shares concerns along their eastern border, the western part of Afghanistan, and is concerned about the threat of this emanating onto them," Votel told VOA on Thursday.

Votel’s remarks comes after the Afghan Foreign Ministry recently raised concerns over the US and Russia’s “issues” around Afghanistan.

A senior official from the ministry said the Washington-Moscow tensions were closing in on Afghanistan from Ukraine and if tensions increased – it would have negative consequences for Afghanistan. 

In the meantime, CEO Abdullah Abdullah, who had been speaking at the Indonesia’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies on Saturday, criticized countries supporting insurgency and said that these states were standing in the way of Afghanistan achieving peace and stability.

"We think that some countries can do much more, to persuade Taliban to stop fighting and enter negotiations. Those countries, or country, which is hosting the leaders of Taliban, and their headquarters are there, and their organizations operate from there," said Abdullah. 

Abdullah said the National Unity Government has taken big steps toward finding peace, but that the country housing Taliban leaders had not taken any basic nor serious steps to help work for peace.  

“As far as the stand of our country is concerned toward peace and reconciliation, right from the beginning we have kept the door open for talks,” said Abdullah. 

Abdullah said the regional countries should play their part in bringing peace in Afghanistan. 

Russia ‘Competing’ For Influence In Afghanistan: Votel

Votel said in an interview with VOA the notion that the United States was somehow promoting Daesh was "ridiculous."

تصویر بندانگشتی

US Gen. Joseph L Votel, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), says that Russia is following a strategy to compete with the United States around the world, including Afghanistan. 

Votel said in an interview with VOA on Thursday that Moscow and Tehran are trying to increase their influence in Afghanistan. 

VOA reported that Moscow was posturing to be a "player in the solution" to the decades-long conflict.

"I think what they [Russia] are doing trying to do is they are pursuing a strategy which is to compete with us by trying to exert their influence wherever they can, whether it is in Afghanistan or Syria or anywhere else," Votel said.

"They are continuing to use disinformation to create the narrative that they want," Votel said.

"They continue to perpetuate this idea, not just in Afghanistan, but in Iraq and Syria as well, that the United States is responsible for supporting and propagating ISIS (Daesh)."

Votel said the notion that the United States was somehow promoting Daesh was "ridiculous."

VOA reported that Votel also discussed Iran’s influence in the country, stating Russia was not the only nation seeking influence in Afghanistan.

Votel said the Iranians have "hedged their bets" in Afghanistan, by trying to have relationships with both the Afghan government and the Taliban, reported VOA.

He said that unlike Russia, Iran is more concerned about its own stability.

"They [Iranian leaders] don't have any, obviously, any love for us [the U.S.] here, but I do think Iran shares concerns along their eastern border, the western part of Afghanistan, and is concerned about the threat of this emanating onto them," Votel told VOA on Thursday.

Votel’s remarks comes after the Afghan Foreign Ministry recently raised concerns over the US and Russia’s “issues” around Afghanistan.

A senior official from the ministry said the Washington-Moscow tensions were closing in on Afghanistan from Ukraine and if tensions increased – it would have negative consequences for Afghanistan. 

In the meantime, CEO Abdullah Abdullah, who had been speaking at the Indonesia’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies on Saturday, criticized countries supporting insurgency and said that these states were standing in the way of Afghanistan achieving peace and stability.

"We think that some countries can do much more, to persuade Taliban to stop fighting and enter negotiations. Those countries, or country, which is hosting the leaders of Taliban, and their headquarters are there, and their organizations operate from there," said Abdullah. 

Abdullah said the National Unity Government has taken big steps toward finding peace, but that the country housing Taliban leaders had not taken any basic nor serious steps to help work for peace.  

“As far as the stand of our country is concerned toward peace and reconciliation, right from the beginning we have kept the door open for talks,” said Abdullah. 

Abdullah said the regional countries should play their part in bringing peace in Afghanistan. 

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