DUSHANBE, October 7, 2011, Asia-Plus — Current situation in Afghanistan and revival of the ancient “Silk Road” across Central Asia were a major topic of a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with the United States Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Ambassador Marc Grossman that took place here today morning.
According to the presidential press service, President Rahmon and Ambassador Grossman discussed issues related to multi-aspect cooperation between Tajikistan and the United States.
The sides reportedly condemned terrorist acts in Afghanistan as a result of which ex-President Burhanuddin Rabbani, General Mohammad Daud Daud and Kandahar governor Ahmed Wali Karzai and other prominent Afghan figures had been killed.
The two also discussed the “New Silk Road” vision for the South and Central Asian region’s economic future. Marc Grossman informed Emomali Rahmon of intention to revive the ancient Silk Road and its modern-day version that would include various economic projects. He also noted that two international conferences on Afghanistan would take place in Istanbul in November and in Bonn in December.
It was noted that revival of the “Silk Road” across Central Asia would promote development of Afghanistan’s economy because under the plans of the US administration power systems and transport structures of Central and South Asia will be connected.
The presidential press service says President Rahmon expressed support for that intention and noted that Tajikistan was ready to provide support for implementation of that intention for the sake of achievement of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
We will recall that the Ministerial Meeting on the “New Silk Road” was held in New York on September 22 New Silk on the sidelines of UN General Assembly. Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi also attended that meeting. The German-hosted meeting was co-chaired by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul. The meeting participants highlighted the importance of building a sustainable Afghan economy and expanding regional economic linkages and the importance of taking steps now to realize this vision. They discussed how Central Asian countries could become more interlinked through trade. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, said the project to revive the Silk Road would be taken up at an international peace conference on Afghanistan to be held in Germany in December.
