Russia seeks to boost central Asia ties

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president, hosted a rare summit with the leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan on Wednesday, signalling the Kremlin’s desire to strengthen ties in the volatile region before Nato forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

Speaking in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Mr Medvedev called for economic co-operation to boost the region’s prosperity and reduce the threat of terrorism and extremism.

He also said joint efforts were needed to stem the tide of illegal drug-trafficking from Afghanistan, which he said posed a threat to Russian security.

Mr Medvedev held his first summit with Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s president, and Emomali Rahmon, leader of Tajikistan, last year in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.

Russia, which withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 following a disastrous 10-year war, has no plans to send troops to the country. But the Kremlin agreed this year to allow Nato to transport non-lethal goods through Russian airspace.

US plans to begin pulling out of Afghanistan in July next year have clouded the security outlook, stoking concern in Moscow that extremism and terrorism in the region could spill over into former Soviet central Asia.

“We live in the same region. This creates common problems and common prospects,” Mr Medvedev told Mr Karzai on Wednesday.

Mr Medvedev called for the revival of Soviet-era co-operation in energy, transport and infrastructure to boost economic development in the region.

Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said Russia had been invited to participate in a project to export hydroelectricity from Tajikistan across Afghanistan to Pakistan, which could help stabilise the region. “We are interested in it,” he said.

International financial institutions have urged landlocked central Asian nations to open energy export corridors to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan to reduce dependence on Russian routes.

Mr Lavrov said Russia had offered to supply helicopters to Nato in Afghanistan, but expected the US-led military alliance to foot the bill.

Russia will soon provide the Afghan interior ministry with a delivery of firearms free of charge.

“We support the Afghan government’s fight against terror and are ready to provide support in the war,” Mr Medvedev said.

Russia began delivering emergency relief to Pakistan this week.