Zamir Kabulov
Encyclopedia
Zamir Nabiyevich Kabulov (born 22 June 1954) is a high rank career diplomat
and was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan until September 21, 2009.
Kabulov, who was born in Soviet Uzbekistan
, graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1977, and went on to work in various diplomatic posts in the central offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and abroad, in particular in Afghanistan
. His Central Asia
n background further bolstered his position in dealing with Afghan and Pakistan
i issues. From 1979 to 1983 he worked in the Soviet Embassy in Iran
.
From 1983 to 1987 he was second secretary in the Soviet Embassy in Kabul
also responsible for relations with the press. From 1987 to 1991 he worked in the Foreign Ministry in Moscow
and studied at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. In 1991-1992 he was councillor at the Soviet/Russian embassy in Kabul and after the embassy was closed down when the mujahideen
took control of Kabul he was posted to the Russian Embassy in Pakistan
.
In 1995 Kabulov took part in talks with the Taliban in an attempt to secure the release of a Russian Il-76 crew whose plane was forced to land in Kandahar
. During these talks he met with the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar
. Between 19961998, Kabulov was a senior political adviser in a special mission of the United Nations
for Afghanistan, based in Pakistan. Between 1998 and 2004 Kabulov worked as the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Director of the Third Department on Asia, and was a special representative of the Foreign Minister during the 2001 Bonn Agreement
talks on Afghanistan.
On 18 March 2004, Kabulov presented his diplomatic credentials to Hamid Karzai
, the head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan. Kabulov has been critical of the NATO mission in Afghanistan
, calling it ineffective, due to alleged negligence by NATO in understanding the national, religious
and cultural traditions
of Afghanistan.
The New York Times
correspondent John F. Burns
, who interviewed Ambassador Kabulov in October 2008, alleges that Kabulov “is no ordinary ambassador, having served as a K.G.B.
agent in Kabul — and eventually as the K.G.B. resident, Moscow’s top spy — in the 1980s and 1990s, during and after the nine-year Soviet military occupation.”
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan until September 21, 2009.
Kabulov, who was born in Soviet Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1977, and went on to work in various diplomatic posts in the central offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and abroad, in particular in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. His Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n background further bolstered his position in dealing with Afghan and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i issues. From 1979 to 1983 he worked in the Soviet Embassy in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
From 1983 to 1987 he was second secretary in the Soviet Embassy in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
also responsible for relations with the press. From 1987 to 1991 he worked in the Foreign Ministry in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and studied at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. In 1991-1992 he was councillor at the Soviet/Russian embassy in Kabul and after the embassy was closed down when the mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
took control of Kabul he was posted to the Russian Embassy in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
In 1995 Kabulov took part in talks with the Taliban in an attempt to secure the release of a Russian Il-76 crew whose plane was forced to land in Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. During these talks he met with the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar
Mohammed Omar
Mullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
. Between 19961998, Kabulov was a senior political adviser in a special mission of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
for Afghanistan, based in Pakistan. Between 1998 and 2004 Kabulov worked as the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Director of the Third Department on Asia, and was a special representative of the Foreign Minister during the 2001 Bonn Agreement
Bonn Agreement (Afghanistan)
Officially the Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-Establishment of Permanent Government Institutions, the Bonn Agreement was the initial series of agreements intended to re-create the State of Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in response to the...
talks on Afghanistan.
On 18 March 2004, Kabulov presented his diplomatic credentials to Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
, the head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan. Kabulov has been critical of the NATO mission in Afghanistan
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
, calling it ineffective, due to alleged negligence by NATO in understanding the national, religious
Religion in Afghanistan
The official religion in Afghanistan is Islam, which is practiced by over 99% of its citizens. Sunni Islam makes up 80-89% of the total population while the remaining 10-19% are Shi'as and about 1% or less practice other religions....
and cultural traditions
Culture of Afghanistan
The culture of Afghanistan has been around for over two millenniums, tracing record to at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire in 500 BCE. Afghanistan translates to the "place of Afghans" or "land of the Afghans" in the nation's official languages, Pashto and Dari...
of Afghanistan.
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
correspondent John F. Burns
John F. Burns
John Fisher Burns is a British journalist, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. He is the London bureau chief for The New York Times, where he covers international issues. Burns also frequently appears on PBS...
, who interviewed Ambassador Kabulov in October 2008, alleges that Kabulov “is no ordinary ambassador, having served as a K.G.B.
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
agent in Kabul — and eventually as the K.G.B. resident, Moscow’s top spy — in the 1980s and 1990s, during and after the nine-year Soviet military occupation.”