Russia accredits Taliban envoy, voices concern about Islamist groups

Russiahas accredited a diplomat from theTalibanto engage with the new Afghan government but remainsconcernedaboutthe threat ofIslamistgroupsspilling over intoRussiavia Central Asia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Russiahosted an international conference on Afghanistan last year to try to reach a peace deal and curb violence between theTalibanand the then Afghan government.Russiahas labelled theTalibana "terrorist organisation" but has welcomed their members on numerous occasions for talks.

SinceRussia's mediation efforts, the United States and its allies withdrew their troops from Afghanistan after 20 years there and theTalibanseized power in August as the US-backed government collapsed.

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Speaking at an Afghanistan-focused conference in China, Lavrov said that growing trade and economic ties between Afghanistan and countries in the region was contributing to the potential international recognition of their administration.

He said aTalibanenvoywas already active in Moscow.

"I would like to note that the first Afghan diplomat who arrived in Moscow last month and was sent by the new authorities has received accreditation at theRussian Foreign Ministry," he said.

Russiais worriedaboutthe potential for fallout in the wider region and the possibility ofIslamistmilitants infiltrating the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, whichRussiaviews as its southern defensive buffer.

"The plans of the Islamic State and its supporters to destabilize Central Asian states and export instability toRussiaare of particularconcern," Lavrov said.

"The build-up of detachments of Jamaat Ansarullah and the Islamic Movement Uzbekistan around the Afghan-Tajik and Afghan-Uzbek borders are an alarming sign."

Since theTalibantakeover last year, Moscow has held military exercises in Tajikistan and bolstered hardware at its military base there.

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