Hosted by Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, an international conference on Afghanistan kicked off today.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, special representatives on Afghanistan from the United Kingdom, the European Union, Iran, Italy, Spain, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, China, Norway Pakistan, Russia, the United States, Turkey, Japan and some other countries are participating in the conference that will run through July 26.
The main goal of the event, entitled “Afghanistan: Security and Economic Development”, is to develop a set of measures and proposals for the approaches of the world community to promote stability, security, post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan and its integration into regional cooperation processes in the interests of the multinational Afghan people and the whole world.
A statement released by Uzbek MFA, in particular, notes that the meeting participants are expected to discuss issues related to:
– Developing coordinated actions on the Afghan vector, specific proposals and actions on economic reconstruction of the country, providing immediate humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
– Establishing effective dialogue among the international community on acceleration by the Kabul new authorities of the process of the fulfillment by them of the key requirements of the world community.
– Establishing widely represented government, respecting women’s rights and ensuring girls' access to full-fledged schooling. This will be a fundamental condition for the completion of the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
– Reaffirmation by the Interim Government of Afghanistan of its assumed obligations to prevent the use of the country's territory against interests of neighboring countries, other countries and the whole world.
– The importance of unfreezing Afghanistan's financial assets abroad as well as implementation of various infrastructure development projects in the territory of the country in transportation, communications and energy sectors.
Meanwhile, Afghan media reports say Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi heading a high-ranking delegation arrived in Tashkent yesterday to the conference.
Hafiz Ziya Ahmad, a spokesman for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, has twitted that Muttaqi will brief the participants of the conference on the situation in Afghanistan,
Eadaily says Taliban authorities hope that the Tashkent conference will strengthen ties of the unrecognized regime with international community and a serious attention will be given to expectations and needs of the government and the peoples of Afghanistan.
Earlier, many such conferences were held on Afghanistan but no country has so far recognized the current Afghanistan government.
