Tashkent: FMs underline Afghanistan’s stability

AVA- At a meeting in Tashkent on Monday, European Union’s support for efforts of Central Asian countries on ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan was discussed.
The ministers fromcountries in the European Union-Central Asiaformat met within the framework of the Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan, organisers said.
The Central Asian countries hailed the European side’sintention to develop and adopt an updated EU Strategy for the regionin 2019. They expressed their readiness to take an active part in this process.
Prospects of economic development of the region, interregional cooperation in areas of trade and economics, investment, science and technology and education were also discussed.
“Special attention was paid to issues of stabilisation of the situation in Afghanistan and its socio-economic development. In particular, views were exchanged on the European Union’s support for the efforts of the Central Asian countries on ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
Participants of the conference will discuss a consolidated position at regional and global levels on the need for an early start of direct talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban without any preconditions.
The UN secretary-general, the EU high representative for international affairs, EU representatives, heads of political agencies of China, the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are in attendance.