Russia to withhold official recognition of Taliban for now, wants action on pledges

MOSCOW - Russia will not officially recognise the Taliban for now and wants the Islamist group to make good on promises it made when it came to power in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Lavrov was speaking in southern Russia on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Valdai Discussion Club and ahead of talks in Moscow on Wednesday which will be attended by a Taliban delegation.

He said the group's promises included, in particular, those on political and ethnic inclusivity in the make-up of the government.