Afghanistan needs regional support: Spanta

KABUL improve its security, economy and fight against corruption.

Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta was addressing a two-day international conference on “Afghanistan and Central Asia Dialogue” which began today in Kabul.

More than 30 Afghan and foreign political figures and experts are attending the conference, organised by the Afghanistan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS).

The participants would discuss topics like the transformation decade in Afghanistan, common regional challenges, countering narcotics, improving economic relations and preserving cultural heritage.

Spanta said most regional countries continued to face a direct or indirect the threat of terrorism. “Fighting against terror is not the job of a single country; all regional nations should jointly combat it.”

He said regional countries should arrive at a collective decision on issues concerning security, economy and narcotics.

Kazakh Ambassador Omirtai Bitimov told the conference his country had been supporting Afghanistan in various fields, including education, infrastructure development and the war on drugs.

He added a cooperation agreement between the two neighbouring countries would be renewed. Afghans themselves had to decide the fate of their country with support from regional countries and the international community.

He said the international community had pledged supporting Afghanistan for the years to come at the Bonn and Chicago conferences.

The envoy said the Sept 27 agreement between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan reflected a strong trade relationship between the two countries.

Kyrgyzstan Ambassador Avazbek Abdurazakov believed it would not be enough to equip Afghan forces only, but the international community had to support Afghanistan in bolstering its economy and reconstruction sector.

He added the current challenges facing Afghanistan threatened all regional countries and that was why his country supported NATO and Afghan forces to enhance security situation in the country.

Kyrgyzstan’s strategic studies specialist, Bakhtyar Khalqov, said Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan enjoyed common religious, cultural and ideological values and his country always wanted a developed and independent Afghanistan.

He added Kyrgyzstan would support Afghanistan to strengthen its agriculture, industry and transport sectors after 2014.

mds/ma

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