Pakistan and Russia will form a commission on military cooperation: Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russia will continue to assist Pakistan to bolster its counterterrorism capabilities, and the two countries will also form a commission for military cooperation, TASS news agency reported.

“We have confirmed Russia’s readiness to continue boosting Pakistan’s counterterrorism capacity, which is in the entire region’s interests,” he said while addressing a press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif.
Lavrov said fighting terrorism was a priority area of Russia-Pakistan cooperation, but his country also sees other opportunities for bilateral trade and economic cooperation with Pakistan, especially in the energy sector.
Noting that the two countries will form a commission on military cooperation, the foreign minister said Russia and Pakistan will continue to hold the Druzhba (Friendship) joint military exercise.
Talking about the Afghan conflict, Lavrov said Russia is “very preoccupied” by the increasing presence and influence of militant Daesh (IS) fighters in Afghanistan.
“We are very preoccupied by what is happening in Afghanistan and by the expansion of Daesh influence.”
According to Lavrov, the presence of IS in the north and east of Afghanistan is “serious” and “already amounts to a thousand people.” Moscow is especially concerned, he said, about the security threat this creates for neighbouring former Soviet republics and to Russia.
“This is right on the borders of our Central Asian neighbours. It increases the risk of terrorists entering Central Asia, from where it’s not difficult for them to get to Russia, and further,” Lavrov said.
Daesh and the Taliban have staged several attacks in Afghanistan in recent weeks, including one on a luxury hotel in Kabul on January 20.
Russia has repeatedly criticised Washington’s strategy in Afghanistan, calling on the Taliban to be included in peace negotiations with the Afghan government.