Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has supported the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, suggesting a trilateral meeting among Kabul, Moscow and Washington.
On the sidelines of the Tashkent Conference, President Ashraf Ghani met Lavrov. Both sides discussed the Kabul Process conference and the Tashkent meeting on Afghanistan.
The president thanked Lavrov for participation in the conference and Russia’s support for the Afghan peace drive. “Cooperation and coordination is in the interestof regional countries. We want to boost exports of fruits and vegetables to Russia.” For his part, the Russian foreign minister announced his support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. “Stability in regional countries and boosting economic cooperation is our goal.”
He suggested a trilateral meeting among Afghanistan, Russia and the US on dealing with different issues, particularly stability in the war-devastated country.
President Ashraf Ghani welcomed Lavrov’s suggestion and said the nature of organising the meeting would be followed by relevant authorities. Ghani also met US Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon in Tashkent. Both sides exchanged views on the peace process and America’s assistance to Afghanistan.
Ghani thanked the US for cooperation with Afghanistan in different areas. He acknowledged the USstrategy for South Asia had been effective and could bring positive changes to Afghanistan.
Thomas Shannon promised implementation of his country’s new strategy, saying the US supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
On the other hand, Ghani also met with Britain’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Gareth Bayley in the sidelines of Tashkent Conference.
Both sides discussed Britain’s cooperation with Afghanistan and contribution to Afghan peace process and regional cooperation.
President Ghani thanked Bayley for his participation in the Tashkent Conference and hailed Britain’s role in regional stability and cooperation as significant.
Gareth Bayley reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continued support for Afghanistan, backing an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
