Monday June 11, 2018
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani participated in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held in Qingao city of China and delivered speech.
SCO member declared their full support from Afghanistan government peace offer. In his speech, President Ghani said: “Asia is developing and SCO has created an environment in which we can accelerate and coordinate combat against international terrorists and criminal groups.” Pointing to peace talks with the Taliban group and ceasefire, the country’s President said soon after the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan announced unilateral ceasefire, the Taliban group also announced ceasefire over Eid days.
In his speech, President Ghani by pointing to Afghan religious ulamas’ Fatwa said there is now regional consensus related to peace in Afghanistan and it was the first time that our religious scholars and ulamas raised their voice against ongoing war in Afghanistan – you should make use of the opportunity for maintaining peace in Afghanistan – we will make effort to extend the ceasefire and pave the way for talks with the Taliban group. Recalling US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, the country’s President said that the strategy had changed the situation in the region towards peace and stability and praised the US, EU and other international partners for supporting the Afghan peace process, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani regarded the support, assistance and cooperation as beneficial for a democratic, self-sufficient and peaceful Afghanistan. In his speech, the country’s President also thanked his Uzbek counterpart, India Prime Minister and Chinese President for their attention to stability and economic development in the region, adding that discussions in this regard with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have developed and such discussions would play positive role in stability of Afghanistan and the region.
On relations with Iran and Pakistan, President Ghani said that Kabul has reached to specific agreements with Tehran and Islamabad. He stated that the progress with Pakistan is on the paper, adding that Kabul is hopeful to see the progress on the ground. In the summit, SCO member states unanimously declared their support from Afghan peace process and ceasefire and regarded peace as significant for regional linkage and development, promising that the member countries would help Afghanistan reach peace and stability. In SCO summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said: “SCO member states are committed to supporting peace and stability in Afghanistan and regarded the country as significant for SCO. Indian Prime Minister by expressing concern over security situation and increasing terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan asked the SCO member states that President Ghani’s vision should be respected so Afghanistan reaches peace and stability.
