'Russia set to resume arms supplies to Afghan'

Moscow, Mar 5: In view of the increased activities of Taliban and Al Qaeda, Russia is ready to discuss resumption of arms supplies to Afghanistan, during the coming visit of Afghan Defence Minister Alexander Maryasov here, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said today.

''In the light of increasing Taliban and Al-Qaeda activities, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his government have asked Russia to resume supplies of military equipment to Afghanistan,'' Mr Maryasov told RIA Novosti news agency.

Russia and Afghanistan signed a contract to provide military- technical assistance to Kabul, in December 2002, which included deliveries of motor vehicles, fuel and lubricants, communication equipment, topographic maps, truck-mounted repair workshops and automobile and armour equipment spare parts.

However, the Russian arms supplies to Afghanistan were suspended in 2005, in order to avoid ''the duplication'' of US aid to the country.

''In 2002-2005, our military-technical assistance to Afghanistan exceeded 200 million dollar,," Mr Maryasov said, adding ''We have delivered airport maintenance equipment, a missile defence system to protect the Kabul airport, communication equipment, trucks, repair equipment, spare parts and manuals.'' Last month, during his visit to Kabul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and Afghanistan had coordinated the terms of settlement of Afghanistan's debt to the former Soviet Union which, according to Russian experts' estimates, totals 10 billion dollars.

''The problem of Afghan debt settlement has been coordinated, and only some formalities remain to be settled,'' Mr Lavrov said.

He also said Afghanistan was ready to cooperate with the regional security organisations, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to fight terrorism and drug trafficking.

UNI