Regional ties vital for Afghan’s future: EU

KABUL and the ongoing “Heart of Asia” conference in capital Kabul is a step forward.

In a statement on Thursday, Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal, representing the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, also reiterated the bloc’s commitment to support Afghanistan during transition and the decade of transformation.

The EU fully supports the “Heart of Asia” process initiated in Istanbul in November 2011, said the statement.

“Regional cooperation helped transform Europe from a war-torn continent into an economic and political force. Closer cooperation is fundamentally in the political, security and economic interests of Afghanistan and its neighbours.

“The EU also welcomes identification by the Heart of Asia countries of practical confidence-building measures,” said Sovndal in Kabul.

About 30 delegates from regional countries, including foreign ministers and international agencies such as NATO and the United Nations, are taking part in the one-day conference, where leaders would chart new ways to promote regional security and stability.

Vygaudas Usackas, European Union Special Representative for Afghanistan, added that EU intends to support such measures, in particular in areas where it has proven competence, such as strengthening capacities in border management, counter-narcotics, advancing collaborative efforts to promote trade, economic cooperation and development, and disaster management.

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