Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart in Kabul on Saturday called on the neighboring country to prevent the violation of the rights of Afghan refugees.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed various issues including refugees, politics, economy, trade, transit and major joint projects, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Amir Khan Muttaqi stressed the need to maintain positive relations based on mutual respect between Afghanistan and the countries of the world, especially Pakistan, and announced that the Islamic Emirate has adopted a balanced policy that will help develop cooperation with neighboring countries, including Pakistan.

Muttaqi also spoke about recent developments in Afghanistan and opportunities for development in various sectors, adding that Afghanistan is interested in expanding trade, transit and carrying out joint projects with Pakistan.

He further called on the Pakistani authorities to take effective measures to resolve the existing problems in these areas and provide necessary facilities for further cooperation. The acting foreign minister also expressed deep concern over the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and called on Pakistani authorities to prevent violations of the rights of Afghan refugees.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar expressed his satisfaction with the visit to Afghanistan, adding that the visit could help improve relations and expand bilateral cooperation. He also invited Muttaqi to visit Pakistan.

Dar also announced that to facilitate bilateral trade, tariffs on many commercial items will be reduced and effective steps will be taken in the field of transportation of commercial goods. He also stressed that the Pakistani government is committed to expanding trade and transit with Afghanistan and will provide necessary facilities for this purpose.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the importance of strengthening diplomatic relations, joint cooperation, increasing visa issuance, fast transportation of agricultural products, trade growth and projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway, CASA 1000 electricity, TAPI gas and TAP electricity.

The meeting decided to form joint committees to follow up on issues raised and resolve existing problems.

Russia’s foreign spy service chief, Sergei Naryshkin, has claimed that Western intelligence agencies are looking for ways to help anti-government forces in Afghanistan in hopes of keeping the country in a state of disarray.

Naryshkin visited Baku on April 17-18 to participate in the conference “Afghanistan: Regional Interconnectivity, Security and Development.”

According to him, the West is trying to maintain instability in Afghanistan in order to advance its own geopolitical interests. “It is the Westerners who continue to block Afghan assets and maintain sanctions against Kabul, while Western intelligence agencies are looking for ways to support anti-government forces in this country,” the statement said, TASS news agency reported.

He emphasized that Afghanistan “occupies an important place in geopolitics, and it is in the common interest of our states to promote reconstruction and prosperity on the Afghan land.”

The Russian foreign spy chief “noted the positive dynamics of Russian-Afghan relations and reported that Russia has started the process of removing the Taliban movement (IEA) from the list of terrorist organizations.” Naryshkin “positively assessed the activities of the current Afghan authorities in the sphere of state-building and expressed confidence in the inevitability of the prospect of their international recognition.”

“The primary obstacle to this scenario, in his opinion, is the West’s desire to maintain instability in Afghanistan to further its own geopolitical interests,” he said.

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

He was welcomed at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister for Financial and Administrative Affairs Mohammad Naeem and other officials.

During the day-long visit, Dar will call on Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, meet Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“The talks will cover entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” the statement said.

“Dar’s visit is a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to enhance sustained engagement with the brotherly country of Afghanistan,” the statement added.