Afghanistan Seeks To Strengthen Relations With Central Asian Countries
MEP: President Ashraf Ghani during separate meetings with the Presidents of the three countries of Central Asia, met and discussed key issues on expanding and strengthening relations.
A statement by Ghani’s office said Friday the President on the sidelines of Shanghai summit met with the presidents of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan and announced preparations for implementation of TAPI project.
Ashraf Ghani in a meeting with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, discussed the development of bilateral relations and the progress of regional projects, the statement added.
Both presidents talked about the process of TAPI project and Ghani has assured of Afghanistan’s readiness for the implementation of this project. The President of Turkmenistan meanwhile expressed hope to visit the provinces the project passes by in the near future.
According to the statement, the two leaders also discussed the opening of the railway line of ‘Aqeena’, expanding trade relations with the businessmen from both countries and further cooperation in the exchange of skills in the carpet industry and its marketing.
Meanwhile, President Ghani met with the President of Kazakhstan and discussed the development of bilateral relations and joint struggle against terrorism.
The two sides, emphasized in terms of boosting commercial relations and security cooperation and that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed his country’s readiness to Afghanistan on restoring helicopters.
On the other hand, Mr Ghani, met with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the two discussed the development of bilateral relations in various fields and their common fight against terrorism.
Tajik President said “the Afghan route is suitable for trade and cooperation and we want this cooperation to further expand with Afghanistan.”
President Ghani a head of a high-level delegation arrived in Tashkent on Thursday afternoon to attend the two-day summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
