Afghan, Uzbek Leaders Hold Talks Ahead of Peace Summit

AVA- At the meeting, the two sides also talked about bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan as well as the prospects of enhancing bilateral ties including the implementation of key projects in the areas of trade, transport, energy, education and health. 
 
Ghani expressed his sincere gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan for his efforts in practical implementation of the joint Uzbek-Afghan initiative to hold an international forum on Afghanistan in Tashkent, and also confirmed his readiness to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest, Uzbek media reported. 
 
Ghani left Kabul for Uzbekistan on Monday to participate in the Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan that will bring together senior officials from around the world to discuss the prospects of peace in the country.
 
According to government, Afghanistan hopes to garner regional consensus on peace and security in the country and the war against terrorism.
 
”The expected result of the Tashkent Conference is that Afghanistan will build and enhance regional consensus on peace, security and the fight against terrorism and narcotics and regional economic ties,” Ghani’s spokesman Shahussain Murtazawi said.
 
The Tashkent summit is expected to be attended by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, as well as the foreign ministers of China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, India, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.