14 Mar 2018 16:49

Kazakh, Tajik leaders intend to promote Afghan stability jointly

ASTANA. March 14 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon have discussed joint steps to promote the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

"Special attention was paid to questions of regional stability, especially developments in Afghanistan that affect all of us. On the whole, we once again confirmed the common views and the closeness of the approaches of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to all vital issues in the international arena," Nazarbayev said in a joint statement with Rahmon after expanded-format talks in Astana.

Rahmon said that the sides consider it necessary to take joint efforts aimed at stability in Afghanistan.

"We discussed the Afghan agenda, on which our countries see eye-to-eye. We expressed our support for further joint actions to promote the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan," Rahmon said.

He said that "security issues were in the center of attention" at the meeting.

"We confirmed our mutual interest in the continuation and strengthening of cooperation in different formats to combat global threats and challenges. We stressed the need to strengthen the cooperation of our relevant bodies in resisting terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, and other forms of transnational organized crime," Rahmon said.