Terror threat to peace in region: Heart of Asia moot

KABUL, participants of the Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar said in their declaration on Sunday.

Briefing reporters about the adoption of the Amritsar Declaration on the second and last day of the moot, Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai said the participants expressed support with efforts to advance an Afghan-led Afghan-owned peace process.

Representatives from about 40 countries and groupings like the European Union attended the event which was aimed to explore ways of dealing with the challenges Afghanistan faces.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the conference. From Pakistan, advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz attended the conference.

Khalil Karzai said the participants commended Kabul’s successful peace talks with Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar as the deal set a good precedent for future peace talks with all other armed groups.

He said the conference acknowledged the crucial role of Afghanistan as a natural land bridge in promoting regional connectivity and economic integration in the Heart of Asia region.

They reiterated strong support for Afghanistan’s efforts to use its geographic location to enhance wider regional economic cooperation, said Karzai.

He said Afghanistan commended its neighbors as well as others for hosting millions of Afghan refugees for more than three decades.

“We renewed our call on these countries to continue hosting Afghan refugees until their sustainable repatriation and reintegration in Afghanistan can take place in a voluntary, safe, gradual and dignified fashion.”

Karzai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ghani, who jointly inaugurated the conference, shared their views on the challenges confronting the Heart of Asia region, as well as the many opportunities for economic cooperation among this resourceful region’s countries.

They highlighted the significance of the Heart of Asia–Istanbul Process as an effective platform for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, while enabling the countries to cooperate for ensuring prosperity throughout the region.   

Karzai said today’s Conference was attended by foreign ministers and high-level delegations from Participating and Supporting Countries, as well as Supporting Regional and International Organizations.

He said the theme “Addressing Challenges, Achieving Prosperity.” The Amritsar Declaration, which was adopted after consultations throughout the year, emphasized on the need to explore collective approaches for advancing regional security and economic cooperation.

“This must enable us all to address such common challenges as the threats of terrorism and extremism and to promote security, stability and socio-economic development in the Heart of Asia region.”

The deputy foreign minister said the Conference reaffirmed that terrorism posed a serious threat to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and called for a concerted regional and international effort in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“Such an effort includes dismantling terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the Heart of Asia region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terrorism.”

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