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Istanbul Process ministerial conference on Afghanistan begins in Almaty

The central item on the agenda will be the approval of the action plans on six spheres of regional cooperation

ALMATY, April 26 (Itar-Tass) – Foreign ministers from member countries of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan have gathered in the Kazakh city of Almaty for their third conference, which opened on Friday.

Taking part in the conference are Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev, secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Dmitry Mezentsev, Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) J·n Kubi·, Foreign Ministers Zalmay Rassoul of Afghanistan and Salman Khurshid of India, diplomats and delegates from 11 international organizations. The Russian delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Mogulov.

The central item on the agenda will be the approval of the action plans on six spheres of regional cooperation, prepared by experts and coordinated by senior officials: the fight against drug trafficking, combating terrorism, strengthening regional infrastructure, the development of regional trade, responding to emergencies, cooperation in the sphere of science and education.

The declaration of the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan was adopted on November 2, 2011 at the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan. The declaration was agreed to by Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the United Arab Emirates. The process aims at involving Afghanistan into the economic and political life of the region as an equal and responsible partner. In June 2012, the second ministerial conference was held in Kabul.

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