Russian's Security Policy towards New Afghanistan

The withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan marginalized Afghan issue in the minds of Russian authorities until they found the roots of Russia's separatist movements in Afghanistan under Taliban. September 11th event unveiled new dimensions of terrorism and potential and actual threats of ruling fundamentalists in Afghanistan. Then US invasion of Afghanistan provided opportunities for Russian Federation to have a more active role in international relations and the so-called fight against terrorism. This study seeks to answer this question: “What is the Russian Federation's Security Policy towards New Afghanistan (after the September11, 2001)?” The paper argues that the Russian Federation has largely security interests in curbing and controlling extremism and terrorism in Afghanistan. Accordingly Russia tried to consolidate and strengthen its relations with NATO in Afghanistan, while established and strengthened multilateral security arrangements such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security treaty. Furthermore the Russian Federation has tried to strengthen its relations with Kabul government in different ways.