Turkey’s Erdogan, Putin Agree on Coordinating Ties With Taliban

(Bloomberg) --

Turkey and Russia agreed to coordinate relations with the new government that will be formed in Afghanistan, according to the Turkish president’s office. 

The agreement was reached during a phone call between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, Erdogan’s office said in a statement. 

Erdogan expressed hope for a smooth transition of power in Afghanistan, and that the Taliban does not repeat past mistakes and embraces all ethnic groups, according to the statement. Both Russia and Turkey have said that they will not rush to recognize the Taliban.

“President Erdogan and Russian President Putin agreed to coordinate the relationship to be developed with the government to be established in Afghanistan in the upcoming period,” it said. 

Erdogan said dialogue with the Taliban should be kept open and a gradual engagement should be followed instead of an approach based on strict conditions, the statement said. He welcomed the Taliban’s moderate tone but stressed “that actions of the Taliban, not their words, will shape the upcoming process.”

Turkey could run and continue safeguarding the airport in Kabul if conditions on the ground are suitable, Erdogan said.

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