Fourth meeting of the Special Envoys for Afghanistan of the European Union and Central Asian countries took place in Ashgabat on May 26.

The event was attended by EU Special Envoys for Central Asia T. Hakala, EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan T. Nicklasson, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan R. Otunbayeva, representatives of the World Bank (online) and Special Envoys of the countries Central Asia for Afghanistan.

The meeting participants pointed to the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, preventing the isolation of Afghanistan, and the need to unfreeze the country's international assets.

They made an appeal to the caretaker authorities of Afghanistan to fulfill the requirements of the international community in the areas of creating an inclusive and representative government, respecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, especially women, and preventing the use of the territory of Afghanistan for terrorist purposes.

They focused on joint use of the region's water resources and noted the importance of mutual consideration of the interests of neighboring countries and the rational use of the region's water resources.

The parties emphasized opportunities for the development of common proposals by the EU and the countries of Central Asia to resolve the situation in Afghanistan.

The delegates positively considered the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to set up an International Negotiating Group under the auspices of the UN, which could become part of the general proposals of this format for the UN Roadmap on Afghanistan.

At the end of the event, they signed a Joint Statement.