Azernews.Az

Afghanistan welcomes Azerbaijan's initiative to place funds in the country, is open to Azerbaijani investments and ready to cooperate in this area, Afghan presidential spokesman Siamak Herawi was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

"Azerbaijan has made an important contribution to restoring stability in Afghanistan and development of infrastructure in the country in recent years, and we attach special importance to our cooperation with your country, which has influence in the region," Herawi told the Baku-based Trend news agency.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov was quoted by the Turkish Cihan agency as saying at a conference on Afghanistan in Bonn on Monday that Azerbaijan is ready to increase investments in Afghanistan, and economy is an important factor to achieve "peace and harmony" in the country.

Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan has provided assistance to Afghanistan in every possible way since the early days. This support is not limited to cooperation within NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and NATO itself. Some 35 percent of humanitarian supplies to Kabul pass through Azerbaijan.

The minister also said Afghan mine clearance specialists are trained in Baku and Azerbaijan is ready to support Afghanistan in training policemen and diplomats.

Herawi said the Afghan government has prepared plans for infrastructure development, particularly in the fields of energy, construction and building roads. "Azerbaijan can invest in these spheres, and we are ready to give it preference," he added.

Herawi called training of military officers and diplomatic personnel for Afghanistan as another area of cooperation between the two countries.