Kabul to import oil products from Russia in exchange for minerals

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Per acting Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade Nuriddin Azizi, Afghanistan has offered to provide domestically extracted minerals in exchange for oil products from Russia. 

In an interview, Azizi commented, "Our priority is to import Russian goods under a barter scheme,", adding that "if operations under this scheme do not work out, then we can use financial transactions."

Kabul, in exchange for the petroleum supply from Russia, could in return offer Moscow minerals extracted in the country, as well as supplies of raisins and medicinal herbs, considering that the current Afghan government has assumed control of the entire country's territory. 

The delegation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Afghanistan arrived in Moscow on August 14. Sent by the Taliban government, the business mission held negotiations with Russian colleagues in Moscow, and the delegation paid a visit to Kazan on Thursday. 

A temporary Afghan government led by the Taliban rose to power last fall after US occupation troops withdrew from the country and led to the collapse of the US-backed government. The Taliban takeover triggered economic chaos and food shortages, exacerbated by the sanctions imposed, thus pushing the country to the verge of a humanitarian crisis.

"Afghanistan can pay for oil with money"

Kabul has expressed the desire of reaching an agreement with Russia by the end of this year to buy approximately 1 million tons of gasoline and 1 million tons of diesel, per Afghan Minister of Trade and Industry Nuriddin Azizi's statement to Sputnik.

No current restrictions apply on Afghanistan from the US or the EU on the supply of raw materials, Azizi noted, further saying that if needed, "Afghanistan can pay for these goods with money." 

"We are planning to import some 1 million tonnes of gasoline and the same volume of diesel. An agreement must respect interests of both countries. As this is a very important issue and one of the key priorities of our country, we would like to reach such an agreement as soon as possible," the Minister disclosed, adding that the agreement is likely to be signed this year.