SCO foreign ministers emphasized the need for bilateral ties with Afghanistan

The meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was hosted by Vladimir Narov, minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, and attended by the foreign ministers of Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan, and Zhang Ming, the Secretary General of the SCO, on Friday in Tashkent.

The political and human situation as well as how to connect and grow Afghanistan’s trade and economic cooperation have been the focus of discussion among the foreign ministers of Shanghai summit.

However, this is the first Shanghai meeting after the political changes in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari considers the Shanghai meeting as a good opportunity to discuss the strengthening of trade and economic cooperation and Afghanistan’s connection with regional countries.

“With the new political developments that have emerged in Afghanistan, there is a need for all the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and the countries of the region to work together for sustainable stability in Afghanistan,” said Zardari.

He has also emphasized the need to expand cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad and has expressed hope for the development of communications, including economic relations between the two neighboring countries.

At the same time, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country’s position is close to that of other members of Shanghai and Moscow is working with the new leadership of this country based on the current realities in Afghanistan.

“We have a very close position with our Uzbek friends in terms of the need to know the current realities in Afghanistan and we work with the current leadership based on these realities,” said Lavrov.

In the meantime, Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting minister of Foreign Affairs, said in an exclusive interview with WION that the major problems faced by the Islamic Emirate in the past months are now being resolved and Afghanistan’s relations with neighboring countries and the region are improving.

“We have dealt with many challenges over the years, and most of them have been addressed. The law-and-order situations in Afghanistan have improved now, and the foundations of the country’s economy are also improving day by day. Political ties with neighboring, regional countries and the international community are improving gradually. So, the major challenges that we’re facing have been reframed to a greater extent,” Muttaqi said.

He also further added: “However, Afghanistan has come out of a four-decade-long conflict. There are still many challenges, including the economy, and we’re hopeful of finding a solution to the remaining challenges too and I’m optimistic that with the level of progress that we’re making, we will be able to deal with the remaining challenges and find a good future.”

The foreign ministers of the SCO, in addition to the issues of strengthening trade and economic relations and connecting more member countries, at the end of their two-day meeting, also asked the United States to release the frozen assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan.

The members of Shanghai also emphasized on the observance of human rights, and women’s work and education in Afghanistan, and stressed the need for reforms to make the government more inclusive in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate considers itself committed to respecting the rights of all citizens within the framework of Islamic values ​​and has always emphasized that it is committed to bringing reforms in the government.