Azernews.Az

A meeting of the regional technical groups on realization of the Action Plan on confidence-building measures and the development of regional infrastructure within the framework of Istanbul process on Afghanistan was held in Turkmenistan on Sept.10 under the chairmanship of the Turkmen side.

The Turkmen Foreign Affairs Ministry reported that the meeting was attended by the representatives of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Great Britain, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Russia, the USA and Germany.

The meeting was also attended by the representatives and experts of the UN, UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and media outlets.

The participants reviewed the implementation of the Action Plan and put forward a series of recommendations on confidence-building measures and the development of regional infrastructure. The plan includes specific infrastructure projects on regional development and is designed to make a positive contribution to the stabilization process in Afghanistan.

The meeting underscored that the principal position of Turkmenistan on Afghanistan was clearly underscored by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.

Turkmenistan has been for many years providing economic and humanitarian aid to this country, and is involved in the construction of social infrastructure - hospitals and schools, training of Afghan specialists in its education institutions.

Alongside with the development of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan, Turkmenistan is implementing at its own initiative such regional infrastructure projects as Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAPI), Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railroad, a five-fold increase in the supply of Turkmen electricity to Afghanistan and others.

At this stage of development of situation in Afghanistan, the peaceful solution of Afghan problem has also a specific economic content besides political and diplomatic approach. It envisages the implementation of major strategic objectives, facilitating to bringing Afghan economy to the level of regional significance.

Summing up the meeting results, the participants noted that the meeting will be an important step in the practical implementation of the confidence-building measures and development of regional infrastructure projects in Afghanistan.