Putin supports US military presence in Afghanistan

AVA- Putin reportedly made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Russian parliamentarians on Sunday.

“Indeed, it [the situation with terrorist threat in Afghanistan] has worsened, it is true, it keeps deteriorating,” Putin told a meeting with the parliamentary leadership.

“But if the US were not there, it would probably be worse,” Putin was quoted as saying in a report by TASS News Agency. “Russia and the US “have complex relationship, but we must approach the subject objectively,” Putin said.

According to Putin, the Taliban gunmen are stationed practically along the whole border between Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. However, encouraging signals are also seen in spite of everything, Putin stressed. “I spoke with the president of Turkmenistan today, and he reiterated his plans to build a gas transmission system across Afghanistan and further to its neighbors – Pakistan and India,” Putin said.

“He invites us to participate. Generally, certain projects are indeed implemented there, and quite successfully, including by Turkmenistan. But we must take a look, of course, at how feasible projects of this kind will be,” the president noted.