Moscow hosted the fifth multilateral meeting of secretaries of Security Councils on the Afghan problem on February 8. According to the press service of the Russian Security Council, it was attended by representatives in charge of security issues from Uzbekistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Uzbekistan was represented by Viktor Makhmudov, President’s Security Aide/Secretary of the Security Council.
Reportedly, the parties discussed international security focusing on resolving the situation in Afghanistan.
The sides pointed to the importance of performing the international obligations assumed by the current Kabul authorities to counter terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, as well as to form an ethno-politically balanced government and respect for human rights.
At the meeting, a number of additional practical measures were proposed aimed at building up joint anti-terrorist actions, as well as curbing channels for financing terrorism, intensifying cooperation in combating transnational organized crime, illegal arms and drug trafficking, as well as preventing illegal migration.
They emphasized the importance of joining efforts in solving complex problems in the field of security, continuing a constructive dialogue and finding effective solutions that are adequate to the challenges and threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan.
It was agreed to continue the practice of holding multilateral consultations of the Secretaries of Security Councils on Afghan problems on an annual basis.
In addition, on February 8, in the Kremlin Vladimir Putin hosted the heads of delegations participating in multilateral consultations of secretaries of the Security Councils and national security advisers for Afghanistan.
“I know that this meeting is already of a traditional nature and is dedicated to a very important issue – the situation in Afghanistan. It is clear that there is a lot of conflict potential in the world today. We have many conflicts here too, not far from Russia, including in the Ukrainian direction. We understand this very well, we are aware of this report. But this does not reduce the significance of the situation in Afghanistan, and this has always been important for us, and today it is doubly important, because we do not want any other points of tension to arise on our southern borders,” Vladimir Putin said.
Vladimir Putin stressed that the situation in Afghanistan was not improving.
“The humanitarian situation is deteriorating, millions of people - four million, according to our data, approximately - in Afghanistan are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Drug trafficking is growing and, unfortunately, the area under cultivation is growing: in my opinion, 80 percent of the world's opiates are of Afghan origin.
The situation is very complicated, but we are doing our best to find solutions. We have established contacts with the leadership of Afghanistan in Kabul. We know that there are good plans for the implementation of major economic projects that could stabilize the situation in the economy,” he said.
