Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan Yazguly Mammadov represented our country at a conference in Tashkent, where special representatives and special envoys of the European Union and Central Asian countries took part to discuss issues related to the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan media reported.

 As noted, last year during the 17th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting, held on November 22 in Dushanbe, the participants expressed their commitment to partnership in the areas of trade, investment, and the environment, paying special attention to the situation in Afghanistan.  The European Commission has allocated about 1 billion US dollars to Afghanistan and neighboring countries in order to provide assistance.

 The Turkmen representative made a proposal on the need to involve Afghanistan in the system of economic and financial ties, create favorable conditions for the active integration of this country into the international economic space.

 Yazguly Mammadov also noted that it would be expedient, within the framework of regional cooperation on Afghanistan, to discuss the possibility of developing a consolidated approach to cooperation with international organizations and financial institutions in the context of their participation in the implementation of trans-Afghan energy, transport and industrial corridors.  In this regard, Turkmenistan calls on states and international organizations to provide regular and comprehensive humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

 On the basis of these principles, Turkmenistan builds its relations with Afghanistan, implementing specific socio-economic projects.

 “In our opinion, the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, while remaining difficult, still demonstrates certain shifts towards stabilization.  The new authorities are making efforts for the normal functioning of state institutions, ending violence, restoring order and manageability in the country.  In all the above areas, in our opinion, there is a wide field for the development of interregional cooperation with the European Union”, Mammadov stressed.