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Turkey commits to securing Kabul Airport after US withdrawal: US official

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President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed in a meeting this week that Turkey would take a lead role in securing Kabul airport as the United States withdraws troops from Afghanistan, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday.

Sullivan told reporters that Biden and Erdogan, in their meeting on Monday at the NATO summit, discussed the Afghanistan issue. Erdogan sought certain forms of U.S. support to secure the airport and Biden committed to providing that support, Sullivan said.

“The clear commitment from the leaders was established that Turkey would play a lead role in securing Hamid Karzai International Airport and we are now working through how to execute to get to that,” Sullivan said, giving the first details from the U.S. side of the meeting which the Turkish presidency has not provided details of.

Turkey and the United States have been at odds over a host of issues including Ankara’s purchase of Russian weaponry, policy differences in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean and expectations for a breakthrough in first face-to-face meeting between Erdogan and Biden were slim.

The two leaders sounded upbeat after their meeting although they did not announce what concrete progress they made. One potential area of cooperation has been Afghanistan, where Ankara has offered to guard and operate Kabul airport after U.S. and NATO forces withdraw in coming weeks.

The security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of the Afghanistan as Western forces pull out.

Last week, a Taliban spokesman said Turkey should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan under the 2020 deal for the pullout of U.S. forces but Sullivan said the Taliban comments did not deter the “detailed and effective” security plan the United States was putting together.

“Obviously we take seriously the concern that Taliban or other elements in Afghanistan will attack the Western or the international presence…We do not believe that what Taliban has said publicly should or will deter the efforts underway right now to establish that security presence,” he said.

As president, Biden has adopted a cooler tone than predecessor Donald Trump towards Erdogan. Biden quickly recognized the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide – a position that angers Turkey – and stepped up criticism of Turkey’s human rights record.

But it was not clear if Biden raised the human rights issue with Erdogan during his meeting and Sullivan provided little details on how, if at all, the impasse over the S-400s, which prompted Washington to remove Ankara from the F-35 fighter jet program and impose sanctions, would be resolved.

“They discussed it. There was not a resolution of the issue. There was a commitment to continue the dialogue on the S-400 and the two teams will be following up on that coming out of the meeting,” he said.

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Afghan and Iranian officials discuss expanding economic cooperation

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Ahmad Jan Bilal, General Director of State-Owned Corporations, met on Tuesday with Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul, Ali Reza Bikdeli, to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation and following up on issues raised during his recent visit to Iran.

According to a statement from the General Directorate of State-Owned Companies, the meeting focused on reviewing ways to implement discussions held with Iranian officials during Bilal’s visit.

Bikdeli described the visit as positive and productive, stressing the importance of following up on the issues discussed and taking practical steps to advance bilateral cooperation.

He said Iran is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in oil and gas exploration, extraction and exports, refinery construction, agriculture, water and electricity.

Bilal, for his part, said the Islamic Emirate is interested in expanding joint cooperation with Iran in energy, agriculture, industrial development and other economic sectors. He added that his office would work with the Iranian side to turn the proposed areas of cooperation into practical initiatives.

Bilal also reaffirmed his office’s commitment to following up on the issues discussed during his recent visit to Iran and working towards their implementation in coordination with Iranian officials.

Bilal recently visited Iran at the head of a delegation, holding talks with several Iranian officials on expanding economic, trade and investment ties, particularly in the state-owned companies sector.

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Ariana Airlines reduces Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul airfares by $20

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Ariana Afghan Airlines announced on Tuesday a reduction in ticket prices for flights on the Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul route from $190 to $170.

According to the airline, passengers can now purchase tickets for this route at $20 less than the previous fare.

The airline has also set a special fare of $150 for students travelling on this route.

Ariana Afghan Airlines said the move aims to reduce travel costs and make air travel more affordable and accessible for passengers and students.

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Afghanistan and Russia discuss expanding economic ties and boosting bilateral trade

During the meeting, Muttaqi stressed that Afghanistan and Russia should expand economic cooperation based on shared interests and mutual benefits.

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Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met with Zamir Kabulov, Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation and increasing trade between the two countries.

During the meeting, Muttaqi stressed that Afghanistan and Russia should expand economic cooperation based on shared interests and mutual benefits.

Kabulov, meanwhile, praised the Islamic Emirate’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and cultivation, saying reports by some international organisations on the issue do not reflect the realities on the ground.

Muttaqi reiterated that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to combating drug cultivation, production and trafficking, describing these efforts as important for the security and stability of both Afghanistan and the wider region.

The meeting comes amid continued efforts by Kabul and Moscow to strengthen diplomatic and economic engagement and explore opportunities for broader bilateral cooperation.

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