In reaction to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) leaders’ statement in which they expressed concerns over the situation in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate said there will be no threat to anyone from Afghan soil.
The conference, which was held on Monday in Moscow, was attended by delegations from Belarus, Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
“We focus on countering international terrorism and extremism, illegal drug and weapons trafficking, and illegal migration. In this context we attach great importance to the developments in Afghanistan. The unstable situation there as well as the unrelenting activity of armed groups on the territory of Afghanistan continue to threaten the security and stability of our states,” President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told the conference.
“I believe the CSTO must consider every potential threat while paying even more attention to ensuring the security of the southern borders of Central Asia,” he said.
The CSTO voiced concerns about the situation in Afghanistan and on other external borders of the organization’s member states.
“The government should reassure the neighbor and regional countries and address their concerns in this regard, otherwise, they will not receive good results,” said Sadiq Shinwari, a political analyst.
“The world wants valuable engagement with the Islamic Emirate and wants the Islamic Emirate to engage in relations based on current norms,” said Saleem Kakar, a university instructor.
But the Islamic Emirate downplayed the concerns and pledged the Afghan soil will not be used against anyone.
“The Islamic Emirate is very serious in regard to focusing on its security and preventing the use of Afghan soil against others,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.
This comes as earlier Moscow claimed that terrorist groups are trying to enter the Central Asian nations via Afghanistan. Ashgabat will host a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the five Central Asian states and Afghanistan, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Uzbekistan media.
The meeting is planned to be held as a part of the events taking place in the capital of Turkmenistan in honor of the 10th anniversary of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia located in Ashgabat.—Tolonews
