Military intervention in region escalates terrorism, drug trafficking - Iranian minister
ALMATY. April 26 (Interfax) - Foreign military presence in the region is the main cause of terrorism and drug trafficking, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.
"There are certain impediments that have a very serious effect on our region. In this context, a part of our region is suffering from a foreign military intervention that undermines capacities of national authorities [in Afghanistan] for imposing order," he said at the third conference of foreign ministers of the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan in Almaty on Friday.
In his opinion, this intervention is "a breeding ground" for terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and other illegal activity.
"We know precisely that constitutional order on the territories subject to military intervention is unable to respond to these challenges efficiently until foreign forces are gone," the foreign minister said. He noted though that "not a single country was able to resolve the problems unaided and on its own."