Putin and Erdogan agree to strengthen coordination on Afghan-Kremlin issues

MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation in Afghanistan during a phone call and agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination on Afghan issues, he said. Kremlin in a statement on Saturday.

The presidents stressed that the priorities were the fight against terrorism and the fight against drug trafficking, the Kremlin said.

Taliban militants took control of Kabul last weekend and sent thousands of Afghan civilians and military allies to flee for safety. Read more

President Erdogan expressed his hopes for a smooth transition in the country and said it was important for the Taliban not to repeat previous mistakes and to keep their promises with an ethnically inclusive approach.

“The new government to be formed in Afghanistan should be inclusive and representative of the diversity of the Afghan people,” Erdogan told Putin in a post-convocation reading.

On Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkey still intends to maintain security at Kabul airport, after Taliban fighters took control of Afghanistan’s capital. Read more

Reports by Polina Devitt and Can Sezer; edited by David Clarke and Jason Neely

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