Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow considers the deployment of NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries categorically unacceptable.

Axar.az reports, citing Russian media, that Lavrov made the remarks at the opening of a meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan at the level of special representatives and senior officials.

“I would like to once again emphasize the categorical unacceptability of deploying NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries under any pretext,” he said.

“As historical experience shows, such a presence leads to destabilization and increased conflict. We have seen no other results from such a presence in recent decades,” the minister added.