Moscow: – The United States has declared that it will use the ‘over the horizon’ option if terrorist groups re-emerge in Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden has announced the United States intends to use military bases in central Asia, and talks are underway with Russia for their use. But Russia has said that it has opposed providing military bases in central Asia to the United States. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said that Russia will not tolerate US military presence in any central Asian countries.
Accusations are rife in the United States that the withdrawal from Afghanistan ordered by President Joe Biden was irresponsible. Against this background, a week ago, a hearing was held of the US Secretary of Defense, the Chief of Defence Staff and the head of CENTCOM before a committee of the US Senate. During the hearing, the US Secretary of Defense had said that airstrikes would be carried out in Afghanistan. Admitting that this was not possible from any military base in the Gulf, Secretary of Defense Austin had claimed that military bases in countries neighbouring Afghanistan would be used.
The United States had announced that even during a meeting about two months ago, President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed using military bases in Central Asia. The US was making efforts to acquire a military base in Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. Both countries had US military bases after the US launched counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan twenty years ago.
Against this background, US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is on a three-day visit to Russia from Monday. The US State Department said it would discuss bilateral, regional and international issues. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov said the meeting on Tuesday was focused on the Afghan issue.
‘The United States and its allies are responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan, and it is now up to the United States and its allies to bring stability to Afghanistan,’ Ryabkov said. At the same time, Ryabkov has clarified that Russia bitterly opposed providing military bases to the United States in the former member states of Soviet Russia. The United States has not commented on the Russian stand.
Russia has expressed grave concerns over the current situation in Afghanistan. Russia has announced that it will take necessary action for the security of Tajikistan, saying that terrorist organizations in Afghanistan threaten the security of Tajikistan. Russia will soon hold military exercises on the border with Tajikistan. At the same time, Russia has kept its doors open by inviting the Taliban for talks.
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