Events in Afghanistan cause alarm - Deputy Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, July 8, 2021. / Kabar /. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Aibek Artykbaev took part in a meeting of ministers of Central Asian countries jointly organized by the Foreign Ministries of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in the videoconference mode, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.

The meeting was also attended by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Special Representative of Kazakhstan for Afghanistan, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Central Asia, the Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, as well as the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Political Affairs for Afghanistan in United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

During the meeting, the participants discussed topical issues of the military-political situation in Afghanistan, regional cooperation of the Central Asian countries in maintaining the intra-Afghan process of reconciliation, ceasefire and assistance to the coming of peace in the country. The participants agreed that the implementation of regional economic projects with the participation of Afghanistan is possible after the situation in the country is resolved.

Deputy Minister Artykbaev noted in his speech that the agreements reached in 2020 in Doha between the United States and the Taliban inspired optimism and hope for the end of the long-term and senseless war, however, the current events in Afghanistan are alarming. He stressed that the basis for the solution of the Afghan problem is the desire and ability of the people of Afghanistan to consolidate around the "idea of ​​finding peace in their country" and in order not to achieve an intra-Afghan dialogue.

Noting the important role of the UN in the settlement of the Afghan problem, Artykbaev emphasized the interest of Kyrgyzstan in the implementation of regional trade, transport and energy projects, the construction of cross-border railways that can significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between the countries of South Asia and Europe through Central Asia.

The meeting participants noted the importance of interaction on all key issues of maintaining the process of inter-Afghan reconciliation within the framework of international organizations such as UNRCCA, UNAMA, Istanbul Heart of Asia, SCO and others, expressing their readiness to further maintain a dialogue on the Afghan peace process.