Tashkent to host a high-level international conference on Afghanistan at the end of July, announced the interim Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov on May 13 at the CIS Foreign Ministers Council meeting in Dushanbe.
Vladimir Norov underscored "permanent geopolitical turbulence, radically changing international relations, increased factors of instability and uncertainty, escalation of hotbeds of local armed conflicts, an increase in terrorist activity and the devastating consequences of environmental problems."
According to him, the consequences of these crises have a serious impact on the entire CIS region and create new threats to peace and security, political stability, and the socio-economic development of the region.
he listed a number of priority areas of cooperation within the CIS.
In particular, according to him, it is necessary to continue work on using the potential of the Free Trade Zone Agreement, swiftly sign an agreement on free trade in services, removing remaining barriers to the movement of goods and services, digitalizing mutual trade, improving transport and transit communications, supporting mutual investments and cooperation ties between enterprises and regions.
He urged partners to support holding Forums on Industrial Cooperation and Interregional Cooperation of the CIS in Tashkent this year.
Vladimir Norov also considers it important to combine efforts to further diversify the system of interregional and transcontinental transport corridors in the CIS space, primarily in the North-South direction, in particular, the railway along the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar route.
“As for Afghanistan, unfortunately, we are seeing a decrease in the attention of the international community to the situation in this country. Meanwhile, the situation there remains difficult, due to the acute economic crisis and the difficult humanitarian situation, challenges to regional security and stability remain,” he said.
In his opinion, the international community should be responsible for the present and future of this country and take concrete measures aimed at continuing assistance in solving the most acute social problems in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Minister said that on the eve of the celebration of Ramadan, Uzbekistan sent another train of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, consisting of 58 wagons with food, medicine and clothing totalling 4,000 tons.
“The High-Level International Conference on Afghanistan at the end of July this year in Tashkent will provide a good opportunity to update and comprehensively discuss these issues. We invite you to take part in this important event in order to consolidate our efforts to resolve the Afghan problem,” he said.
Vladimir Norov also announced the holding of the next Forum of Creative and Scientific Intelligentsia of the CIS this year in Uzbekistan in full-time format, as well as the possible holding of the next meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, including its youth wing - the Youth Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, in autumn in Tashkent.
The Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to the partner countries for supporting the proposed decision to give the Silk Road International University of Tourism in Samarkand the status of the CIS base organization in the field of tourism.
“We call on the young people from the Commonwealth countries to study at this modern university, where the most favorable conditions are created for studying and living, as well as for internships in the field of tourism in the world-famous cities of Uzbekistan on the Great Silk Road - Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva,” he said.
