The fourth foreign ministers' meeting among neighboring countries of Afghanistan took place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on April 13.
The meeting was chaired by Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, and attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Hajiyev, and Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar.
Media reports say the participating parties conducted in-depth discussions on the Afghan issue, and agreed that the meeting of neighboring foreign ministers is held at the right time.
They reportedly noted that it is necessary to maintain communication with the Afghan interim government, guide it to fulfill its internal and external commitments and build an inclusive and moderate government, protect women's rights, restore the economy, and improve people's livelihood. They called on Afghan Taliban to pay attention to and respond to the major concerns of neighboring countries, and effectively combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
China’s Xinhua news agency reports the meeting participants also expressed opposition to external forces undermining the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region, the evasion of responsibility by the country which bears the primary responsibility for the current situation in Afghanistan, and its closing the door to contact and dialogue with the Afghan side.
The meeting resulted in issuing the Samarkand declaration of the fourth foreign ministers' meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan.
