Sunday November 3, 2019
Kabul (BNA) Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah met a number of regional leaders during his stay in Tashkent on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of heads of government meeting, the statement from Chief Executive Press office said. According to the statement, CE Abdullah met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdullah Aripov on Friday. At the meeting, expansion of economic cooperation and humanitarian exchange between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan was noted. Two sides also discussed intensification of visits of delegations of various levels, in particular, the dialogue of the heads of the two states at the highest level, calling it as an important factor in development of friendly and reliable partnership.
Meanwhile Uzbekistan expressed its readiness to support people and government of Afghanistan on achieving lasting peace in the country. Dr. Abdullah thanked the neighboring country’s support of Afghanistan and emphasized on strengthening of relations between the two states. According to another report, Chief Executive also met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Tashkent and both sides discussed elections, peace process and investments in Afghanistan. Russian PM said his country was willing to increase trade trend with Afghanistan, adding Russia would continue to provide scholarships and train Afghan cadets.
Hinting to ongoing situation in Afghanistan, Dr. Abdullah said election was held despite of Taliban threats, adding peace was the main priority for Afghan people and government and that could be achieved with direct support of the regional countries.
Praising Russian support of the Afghan peace talks, Dr. Abdullah called terrorism a joint threat and asked Russia and other SCO member states to step up and fight the threats. In a separate meeting, Dr. Abdullah met Iranian First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri on Friday. Iranian VP said that people in Afghanistan should decide their own fate, reaffirming Tehran’s support for Afghan peace talks. Jahangiri said that his country will back peace talks under leadership and ownership of Afghanistan. He further said, “Iran-Afghanistan’s collective cooperation document has been finalized and we hope to be inked soon.” Jahangiri also congratulated the successful implementation of Afghanistan’s presidential election to Abdullah, adding, “Iran will continue the promotion of cooperation with the newly-elected government in Kabul.”
Dr. Abdullah, for his part, said, “Outcome of the country’s presidential election will be announced in a couple of days.” The chief executive said Afghanistan’s new government will “continue fulfilling its obligations to Iran and will expand close relations with Tehran.”
Another statement from the CE Press office told that Dr. Abdullah has also met with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Askar Mamin’s in Tashkent on Friday evening. “We attach particular importance to strengthening and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with Afghanistan. This is evidenced by the high level of bilateral political dialogue maintained for many years,” Mamin said. Both sides also talked, issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation of Afghanistan and, the participation of Kazakhstan’s business in the development of energy, construction, agriculture, the mining and oil and gas industry, and the transport industry of Afghanistan were examined.
Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for the humanitarian and other assistance provided, including through official assistance to the development of the Afghanistan and the training of Afghan specialists in Kazakh universities, secondary specialized and professional educational institutions. Meanwhile Dr. Abdullah met with Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Muhamedkaliy Abilgaziyev on Friday. Congratulating successful holding of the Afghan election, Krygez PM said his country was willing to enhance trade ties with Afghanistan.
Welcoming the country’s proposal, Dr. Abdullah said Afghanistan was seeking bolstered ties between the two countries. Both sides also emphasized on beginning of inter-ministerial meetings to develop the ties. On the sideline of SCO meeting, Dr. Abdullah also met with Tajikistan Prime Minister, Kokhir Rasulzoda, and both sides discussed enhancing cultural and trade ties.
